Battery module, battery pack, explosion venting pipe assembly, installation platform, and battery pack assembly
By designing explosion-release tube assembly and explosion-release bus tube in the battery module, the problem of thermal runaway smoke cannot be discharged in time in the energy storage container, achieving higher safety and explosion-proof effects.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2024/121096
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-07-22
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-25
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-03
AI Technical Summary
The thermal runaway smoke in existing energy storage containers cannot be discharged in time and accurately, resulting in safety issues such as thermal runaway diffusion and explosion of battery modules and even battery packs and energy storage containers.
A battery module is designed, including a case and a built-in single battery. The shell is equipped with a explosion-release tube assembly that communicates with the inner cavity of the shell. The explosion-release tube assembly of all the battery modules in the battery pack is flowed through the explosion-release bus tube. When any battery module has thermal runaway, the thermal runaway smoke is discharged through the explosion-release bus tube.
It effectively reduces the risk of thermal runaway diffusion and the bursting of battery modules, battery packs and energy storage containers, and improves the safety of battery packs.
Smart Images

Figure CN2024121096_03042025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Battery modules, battery packs, explosion vent tube assemblies, mounting platforms, and battery pack assemblies Technical Field
[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of batteries, and specifically relates to a battery module, a battery pack, an explosion relief pipe assembly, a mounting platform, and a battery pack assembly. Background Art
[0002] At present, with the continuous growth of global energy demand and the improvement of environmental protection awareness, energy storage technology has gradually become one of the important means to solve energy problems.
[0003] Energy storage containers, as a new type of energy storage device, offer advantages such as portability, flexibility, and high efficiency, and are widely used in power systems, transportation, aerospace, and other fields. Existing energy storage containers on the market consist of a container, a support frame within the container, and multiple battery packs mounted on the support frame. The battery packs are secured to the support frame via their respective battery pack support frames. Each battery pack includes multiple battery modules (also known as battery packs or battery modules), each composed of a housing and multiple single cells arranged in parallel, series, or a combination of series and parallel.
[0004] Due to the high concentration of single cells in the energy storage container, thermal runaway can easily occur under the influence of factors such as overcharging, over-discharging, and overheating of individual single cells. If the smoke generated by thermal runaway cannot be discharged in a timely and accurate manner, thermal runaway will continue to occur and spread. In severe cases, it may cause the battery module or even the battery pack and energy storage container to explode.
[0005] Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery module, a battery pack, an explosion vent pipe assembly, a mounting platform and a battery pack assembly to overcome the safety problems caused by the inability to timely and accurately discharge thermal runaway smoke in existing energy storage containers.
[0007] The first aspect of the present invention provides a battery module comprising a housing and a plurality of single cells arranged within the housing; the inner cavity of each single cell is connected to the inner cavity of the housing; the housing is provided with a venting tube assembly connected to the inner cavity of the housing; the venting tube assembly is configured to connect to a venting manifold. The venting tube assembly of all battery modules within a battery pack is converged through the venting manifold. When a single cell within any battery module within the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, the resulting fumes can be discharged through the venting manifold, reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and the risk of rupture of the battery module, or even the battery pack and energy storage container.
[0008] Furthermore, the present invention mainly includes the following seven battery modules with different structures, the specific differences mainly being reflected in the explosion relief tube assembly:
[0009] The first type of battery module:
[0010] The explosion-proof pipe assembly of the first type of battery module includes a first explosion-proof component and a second explosion-proof component; wherein the first explosion-proof component includes a first hollow tube connected to the outer shell, and the first hollow tube is provided with an explosion-proof membrane; the second explosion-proof component is a three-way pipe, whose first interface is sealed with the first explosion-proof component, and the second interface and the third interface are respectively used to connect with the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-proof manifold. The explosion-proof pipe assembly of the battery module is designed as a three-way pipe section, and the three-way pipe sections of adjacent battery modules are connected using the flexible pipe section to form the explosion-proof manifold. Compared with the explosion-proof manifold using a whole pipe structure, the installation accuracy requirements for each battery module explosion-proof pipe assembly are lower. The installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly can be compensated by the deformation of the flexible pipe section, reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold.
[0011] Furthermore, the second explosion relief component is a flexible tee; the outer wall of one end of the first explosion relief component connecting to the second explosion relief component is provided with external threads; the flexible joint of the second explosion relief component is threadedly connected to the external threads on the outer wall of the first explosion relief component. The flexible joint can conveniently connect the first explosion relief component and the second explosion relief component.
[0012] Furthermore, the first explosion-relief component includes a second hollow tube connected to the first hollow tube; the second hollow tube is made of an insulating material; based on the second hollow tube, the explosion-relief manifold and the battery module can be insulated from the battery module end, thereby improving safety; the outer wall of one end of the first hollow tube connected to the second hollow tube is provided with an external thread; the second hollow tube includes a connecting tube and a union nut connected to one end of the connecting tube; the outer wall of the other end of the connecting tube is provided with an external thread; the union nut of the second hollow tube is threadedly connected to the external thread of the outer wall of the first hollow tube; the other end of the second hollow tube is threadedly connected to the union joint of the second explosion-relief component.
[0013] Furthermore, a sealing gasket is provided at the connection portion between the second hollow pipe, the first hollow pipe and the second explosion relief component, and the sealing gasket can further ensure the sealing of the connection portion.
[0014] The second type of battery module:
[0015] In the second type of battery module, an explosion-proof membrane is installed within the explosion-proof tube assembly. The explosion-proof tube assembly is designed as a flexible hollow tube. This flexible hollow tube is connected to a non-spliced, whole-piece explosion-proof manifold. The installation accuracy of the explosion-proof tube assembly for each battery module and the spacing deviation between battery modules are relatively small. The deformation of the flexible hollow tube can compensate for the installation deviation of the explosion-proof tube assembly and the spacing deviation between battery modules, reducing the difficulty of its installation with the explosion-proof manifold. At the same time, the use of a non-spliced, whole-piece explosion-proof manifold reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent compared to a spliced, flexible explosion-proof manifold.
[0016] Furthermore, the explosion venting tube assembly also includes a first hollow tube, in which the explosion venting membrane is disposed. The flexible hollow tube is connected to the housing via the first hollow tube. The flexible hollow tube and the first hollow tube are detachably connected, allowing them to be connected after the battery module is assembled.
[0017] Furthermore, the flexible hollow pipe is a corrugated pipe with a flexible joint provided at least at one end; the flexible joint of the flexible hollow pipe is threadedly connected to the first hollow pipe.
[0018] Furthermore, the explosion-proof pipe assembly also includes a second hollow pipe made of insulating material; one end of the second hollow pipe is connected to the first hollow pipe, and the other end is connected to the flexible hollow pipe. This achieves insulation between the explosion-proof manifold and the battery module at the battery module end, improving the safety of the battery pack.
[0019] Furthermore, the flexible hollow tube is a corrugated tube with flexible joints at both ends, which are respectively connected to one end of the second hollow tube and the explosion-proof manifold. The flexible joints at both ends can be easily connected to the second hollow tube and the explosion-proof manifold, further reducing the difficulty of battery pack assembly.
[0020] Furthermore, a sealing gasket is provided at the connection portion between the second hollow tube, the first hollow tube and the flexible hollow tube.
[0021] The third type of battery module:
[0022] The explosion venting tube assembly in the third type of battery module includes a first explosion venting component and a second explosion venting component; wherein the first explosion venting component is a hollow tube connected to the shell, and an explosion venting membrane is provided in the hollow tube; the second explosion venting component is a tee, whose first interface is sealed with the first explosion venting component, and the second interface and the third interface are respectively used to connect with the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion venting manifold; the hollow tube and / or the tee are provided with a bend. The explosion venting tube assembly of the battery module is designed as a split part, including a tee, and the tees of adjacent battery modules are connected by a flexible pipe section to form an explosion venting manifold. Compared with the explosion venting manifold using a whole tube structure, the installation accuracy requirements for each battery module explosion venting tube assembly are lower, and the installation deviation of the explosion venting tube assembly can be compensated by the deformation of the flexible pipe section, reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion venting manifold. At the same time, a bend is provided in the hollow tube and / or the tee to avoid the problem of thermal runaway substances backflowing into the inner cavity of the shell under the obstruction of the transverse pipe section of the tee, further improving the safety of this type of battery module.
[0023] Furthermore, when a bend is provided in the tee, it can be located in either the vertical or horizontal section of the tee. When located in the horizontal section of the tee, a Y-shaped tee is preferably used. Thermal runaway material rushes out of the hollow pipe and directly toward the bend in the horizontal section of the tee, where it changes direction and flows mostly toward the horizontal section, reducing backwash.
[0024] Furthermore, the second explosion relief component is a flexible tee pipe; the outer wall of one end of the hollow pipe connected to the second explosion relief component is provided with an external thread; the flexible joint of the second explosion relief component is threadedly connected to the external thread of the outer wall of the hollow pipe as the first interface.
[0025] The fourth type of battery module:
[0026] An explosion vent is provided on the outer shell of the fourth type of battery module; the explosion vent pipe assembly includes a first pipe section, a second pipe section and a third pipe section connected in sequence; wherein the first pipe section is a metal pipe, which is sealed with the explosion vent; the second pipe section is a high-temperature resistant insulating pipe; the third pipe section is a metal pipe, which is used to connect with the explosion vent manifold. A high-temperature resistant insulating pipe is introduced into the explosion vent pipe assembly, where the high temperature is the highest temperature of the thermal runaway flue gas; this can avoid the problem of deformation of the insulating pipe due to high temperature and leakage, and can also avoid the problem of the insulating pipe becoming molten and blocking the explosion vent or explosion vent manifold in a high-temperature environment. In addition, connecting metal pipes at both ends of the high-temperature resistant insulating pipe can facilitate the connection of the explosion vent pipe assembly with the battery module explosion vent and the explosion vent manifold.
[0027] Furthermore, the second pipe section is a ceramic pipe, which has a simpler structure and lower cost compared to metal pipes coated with a high-temperature resistant insulating coating.
[0028] Furthermore, avoidance holes are provided on the top plate of the outer shell corresponding to the polarity terminals of each single cell; each single cell polarity terminal extends out of the avoidance hole, and the area of the outer shell top plate corresponding to the avoidance hole is fixedly sealed with the single cell shell; a heat transfer tube clamping portion is provided at the portion where each single cell polarity terminal extends out of the avoidance hole; the heat transfer tube is fixed to the heat transfer tube clamping portion of each single cell polarity terminal, and the heat transfer tube is insulated from each single cell.
[0029] The fifth type of battery module:
[0030] A shared chamber is provided in the outer shell of the fifth type of battery module, and the inner cavity of the shared chamber is connected to the inner cavity of all single batteries; an explosion vent is provided on the outer shell; the explosion vent pipe assembly includes a first connecting tube, a second connecting tube and a connecting assembly; the first connecting tube is connected to the explosion vent of the battery module, and an explosion vent membrane is provided in the first connecting tube, and the second connecting tube is used to be connected to the explosion vent manifold; the connecting assembly includes a tube seat, an insulating sleeve, a sealing member and a locking nut; the tube seat is fixed to the end of the second connecting tube, a through hole is provided in the interior thereof, and an external thread is provided on the outer wall; the insulating sleeve is sleeved on the first connecting tube; a first step hole is provided in the locking nut, and the large hole of the first step hole is a threaded hole; the locking nut and the tube seat are sleeved on the insulating sleeve, and the locking nut is threadedly connected to the tube seat; the sealing member is sleeved on the insulating sleeve, and is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut and the end face of the tube seat to achieve sealing between the tube seat and the locking nut. Each battery module and the explosion-proof manifold are connected via a vent assembly, which features a ferrule-type connector. This connection is robust and provides excellent sealing. The ferrule-type connector allows for quick and easy connection between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold, improving assembly efficiency and facilitating disassembly. Furthermore, the insulating sleeve within the vent assembly provides reliable insulation between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold, ensuring the safety of the battery module during use.
[0031] Furthermore, the second connecting tube is a tee, with a first connection sealed to the tube socket, and second and third connections respectively connected to the flexible tube segments that form the explosion-venting manifold. This approach requires less precision in the installation of the battery modules and the explosion-venting manifold, as the deformation of the flexible tube segments can compensate for installation deviations of the explosion-venting manifold assembly, reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-venting manifold.
[0032] Furthermore, the second connecting tube is a flexible hollow tube, one end of which is sealed to the tube socket and the other end is used to connect to the explosion-proof manifold. Using a flexible hollow tube to connect to the non-spliced, whole-piece explosion-proof manifold reduces the installation precision requirements for each battery module and the explosion-proof manifold. The deformation of the flexible hollow tube can compensate for installation deviations of the explosion-proof manifold assembly, reducing the difficulty of installation between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold. Furthermore, using a non-spliced, whole-piece explosion-proof manifold reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent.
[0033] Furthermore, in the explosion-proof tube assembly, the insulating sleeve has an annular inner rib, which is squeezed by the end face of the first connecting tube and the stepped surface of the second stepped hole of the tube base, achieving a seal between the tube base and the first connecting tube. This connection method adds an additional seal, improving the sealing between the first connecting tube and the second connecting tube, and further ensuring the sealing reliability of the connection between the first connecting tube and the second connecting tube. At the same time, the inner diameter of the annular inner rib is smaller than the inner diameter of the first connecting tube and also smaller than the aperture size of the second stepped hole, so that the insulating sleeve completely covers the end of the first connecting tube, improving the insulation performance between the first and second connecting tubes.
[0034] Furthermore, in the explosion-proof tube assembly, an outward annular outer rib is provided at the end of the insulating sleeve close to the shell. The annular outer rib is used to abut against the shell of the battery module, further improving the insulation performance of the insulating sleeve.
[0035] Furthermore, the seal comprises a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring arranged axially. The first sealing ring contacts the stepped surface of the first stepped hole of the locking nut to form a first conical seal, the second sealing ring contacts the end face of the tube base to form a second conical seal, and the first and second sealing rings contact to form a third conical seal. The first, second, and third conical seals have different mating angles. The first and second sealing rings form three conical seals, significantly improving the sealing performance between the tube base and the locking nut, ensuring the safety of the battery module during use.
[0036] Furthermore, the first connecting tube is provided with an annular limiting boss, which is used to cooperate with the explosion vent of the battery module to fix the first connecting tube. This connection method can not only achieve accurate installation of the first connecting tube, but also facilitate the sealing of the connection between the first connecting tube and the battery module.
[0037] Category 6 battery module:
[0038] A shared chamber is provided in the outer shell of the sixth type of battery module, and the inner cavity of the shared chamber is connected to the inner cavity of all single batteries; an explosion vent is provided on the outer shell; the explosion vent pipe assembly includes a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe and a connecting assembly; the first connecting pipe is connected to the explosion vent of the battery module, and an explosion vent membrane is provided in the first connecting pipe or the explosion vent of the battery module, and the second connecting pipe is used to be connected to the explosion vent manifold; the connecting assembly includes a ceramic tube, a first sealing gasket and a second sealing gasket; one end of the ceramic tube is threadedly connected to the first connecting pipe, and the first sealing gasket is provided at the connection between the first connecting pipe and the ceramic tube to achieve sealing between the first connecting pipe and the ceramic tube; the other end of the ceramic tube is threadedly connected to the second connecting pipe, and the second sealing gasket is provided at the connection between the second connecting pipe and the ceramic tube to achieve sealing between the second connecting pipe and the ceramic tube. Each battery module is connected to the explosion-proof manifold through an explosion-proof pipe assembly. Specifically, the first and second connecting pipes are connected to the ceramic pipe via threads. These connections are primarily sealed via threads and first and second sealing washers. The addition of the first and second sealing washers allows for a relatively short thread length on the ceramic pipe. A shorter thread length reduces assembly rotational resistance, easing rotation and preventing the end face of the ceramic pipe from breaking, ensuring reliable connection between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold. Furthermore, the shorter thread length of the ceramic pipe reduces its machining difficulty.
[0039] Furthermore, the end of the ceramic tube connected to the second connecting tube is provided with an external thread; the second sealing gasket is a T-shaped sealing gasket, comprising a sealing portion and a bushing portion, wherein the sealing portion is provided at the end of the ceramic tube, and the bushing portion is provided within the ceramic tube. The bushing portion is provided within the ceramic tube and, together with the sealing portion, completely covers the end of the ceramic tube, protecting the end of the ceramic tube and further preventing damage to the ceramic tube during installation. In addition, after the bushing portion is installed, the entire second sealing gasket can be positioned, avoiding possible sealing unreliability due to deviation and deformation of the sealing portion, further ensuring the reliability of the seal.
[0040] Furthermore, the first sealing gasket and the second sealing gasket are polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets or gaskets made of PEEK.
[0041] Furthermore, the first connecting tube is provided with an annular limiting boss, which is used to cooperate with the explosion vent of the battery module to achieve a fixed connection of the first connecting tube. This connection method can not only achieve accurate installation of the first connecting tube, but also facilitate the sealing of the connection between the first connecting tube and the battery module.
[0042] Furthermore, the second connecting tube is a tee, with a first connection to the ceramic tube and second and third connections to the flexible tube segments that form the explosion-venting manifold. This approach requires less precision in the installation of the battery modules and the explosion-venting manifold, as the deformation of the flexible tube segments compensates for installation deviations of the explosion-venting manifold assembly, reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-venting manifold.
[0043] Furthermore, the second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, one end of which is connected to the ceramic pipe, and the other end of which is used to be connected to the explosion relief manifold.
[0044] Furthermore, the top plate of the housing is provided with escape holes corresponding to the polarity terminals of each single cell. Each single cell polarity terminal extends through the escape hole, and the region of the housing top plate corresponding to the escape hole is fixedly sealed to the single cell housing. A clamping portion is provided at the location where each single cell polarity terminal extends through the escape hole. A heat transfer tube is fixed to the clamping portion of each single cell polarity terminal and is insulated from each single cell. The heat transfer tube exchanges heat with each single cell polarity terminal, transferring heat from the polarity terminals, where heat is most concentrated, to the outside for treatment, ensuring that the battery module operates within the optimal temperature range.
[0045] Category 7 battery module:
[0046] In the seventh category of battery modules, multiple single cells are arranged in parallel in the shell; at least one first through hole is provided on the shell of each single cell; a venting tube connected to the interior of the shell is provided on the shell; a second through hole is provided on the top of the shell for leading out the first polarity terminal and the second polarity terminal of each single cell, and the top area of the shell corresponding to each second through hole is fixedly sealed with the top of the single cell shell corresponding to the second through hole; the electrolyte in each single cell is connected with the electrolyte in the shell, so that each single cell is in a shared electrolyte system; the venting tube assembly includes a venting tube; and an venting membrane is provided in the venting tube.
[0047] A second aspect of the present invention provides a battery pack, comprising an explosion-proof manifold and at least two of the above-mentioned battery modules; the explosion-proof pipe assembly of each battery module is connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
[0048] Corresponding to different battery modules, there are specifically seven types of battery packs:
[0049] Category 1 battery pack: includes at least two of the above-mentioned Category 1 battery modules; the second explosion relief components of two adjacent battery modules are connected by a flexible pipe section, the free end of the second explosion relief component of one of the two outermost battery modules is sealed, and the free end of the other battery module is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack.
[0050] Furthermore, the outer walls of the two end joints connecting the second explosion relief component and the flexible pipe section are provided with external threads; the two ends of the flexible pipe section are connected with union nuts; the union nuts of the flexible pipe section are threadedly connected to the external threads of the outer wall of the second explosion relief component.
[0051] Category II battery pack: includes n Category II battery modules; where n is an integer greater than 1; the flexible hollow tubes of each battery module are connected to the explosion venting manifold, one end of the explosion venting manifold is sealed and the other end is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack.
[0052] Furthermore, the explosion-proof manifold includes a main pipe and n branch pipes arranged on the main pipe; the n branch pipes correspond one-to-one to the flexible hollow pipe fittings of the n battery modules; and each branch pipe is threadedly connected to the flexible joint of the corresponding battery module flexible hollow pipe fitting.
[0053] Category III battery pack: includes at least two Category III battery modules; the second explosion relief components of two adjacent battery modules are connected by a flexible pipe section, the free end of the second explosion relief component of one of the two outermost battery modules is sealed, and the free end of the other battery module is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack.
[0054] Furthermore, the outer walls of the two end joints connecting the second explosion relief component and the flexible pipe section are provided with external threads; the two ends of the flexible pipe section are connected with union nuts; the union nuts of the flexible pipe section are threadedly connected to the external threads of the outer wall of the second explosion relief component.
[0055] Category IV battery pack: includes multiple Category IV battery modules as described above; also includes a battery pack support frame; multiple battery modules are fixed on the battery pack support frame; the third tube section of the explosion-proof tube assembly in each battery module is sealed and connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
[0056] Furthermore, the energy density of the battery pack can be improved by optimizing the structure of the battery pack support frame or the explosion-proof manifold: a side beam in the battery pack support frame can be designed as a hollow component to serve as an explosion-proof manifold; the explosion-proof manifold is provided with multiple branch pipes corresponding to each battery module; each branch pipe is sealed and connected to the third pipe section of the explosion-proof pipe assembly in the corresponding battery module. The explosion-proof manifold can also include multiple tees corresponding to each battery module, and flexible pipe sections connected between two tees; the first interface of each tee is sealed and connected to the third pipe section of the explosion-proof pipe assembly in the corresponding battery module. One side beam of the battery pack support frame is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold is embedded between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel.
[0057] Category V battery pack: includes n of the above-mentioned Category V battery modules, where n is an integer greater than 1; the second connecting tube of each battery module is connected to the explosion venting manifold, one end of the explosion venting manifold is sealed and the other end is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack.
[0058] Furthermore, the second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, and the second connecting pipes of adjacent battery modules are connected through a flexible pipe section to form an explosion-relief manifold.
[0059] Furthermore, the second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, and the explosion-relief manifold includes a main pipe and n branch pipes arranged on the main pipe; the n branch pipes are connected to the second connecting pipes of the n battery modules in a one-to-one correspondence.
[0060] Category VI battery pack: includes n of the above-mentioned Category VI battery modules, where n is an integer greater than 1; the second connecting tube of each battery module is connected to the explosion venting manifold, one end of the explosion venting manifold is sealed and the other end is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack.
[0061] Category 7 battery pack: includes an installation platform and N of the above-mentioned Category 7 battery modules; N is greater than or equal to 2; the installation platform is a frame structure, and a side beam in the installation platform serves as an explosion venting manifold for thermal runaway flue gas; each battery module and the explosion venting manifold are sealed and insulated by an explosion venting pipe assembly; the explosion venting pipe assembly also includes an insulating sealing rubber sleeve and a docking pipe; the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is mounted on the explosion venting pipe; the docking pipe is arranged on the explosion venting manifold, and the docking pipe is inserted into the outside of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve. The explosion venting pipe and the butt-joint pipe are connected by plugging them together, and the two are basically coaxial. Firstly, space is saved and the energy density of the energy storage device is ensured. Secondly, the length of the path of the smoke flow from the explosion vent to the explosion vent manifold due to thermal runaway is shortened, and the smoke is discharged more promptly. Thirdly, the battery module and the explosion vent manifold can be quickly connected. An insulating sealing rubber sleeve is provided between the explosion venting pipe and the butt-joint pipe, and the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is deformed during the plugging process, so that the explosion venting pipe and the butt-joint pipe fit tightly together, ensuring the sealing. At the same time, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve also ensures the insulation between the battery module and the explosion venting manifold, ensuring safety.
[0062] Specifically, in order to further ensure the reliability of the docking between the explosion venting pipe and the docking pipe and improve the airtightness of the explosion venting pipe assembly, the above-mentioned insulating sealing rubber sleeve is a truncated cone structure.
[0063] Specifically, in order to ensure the positioning of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve during the docking process of the explosion relief tube and the docking tube, and to prevent the docking tube from directly contacting the battery module shell, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is provided with a ring plate for abutting against the battery module shell.
[0064] Specifically, in order to simplify the structure and reduce the production difficulty and cost of the explosion venting tube, the above-mentioned explosion venting tube is an aluminum straight tube, one end of which is connected to the interior of the battery module, and the other end is provided with an aluminum sheet used as an explosion venting membrane.
[0065] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the explosion-venting membrane can vent the explosion in time, an annular groove is provided in the middle area of the explosion-venting membrane to form a weak explosion-venting area.
[0066] The third aspect of the present invention provides another battery module different from the above-mentioned battery module. For the sake of convenience in distinction, the battery module can be defined as an eighth type of battery module, including an explosion-proof tube assembly, a plurality of single cells and a shared chamber connected to the inner cavity of each single cell; one end of the shared chamber serves as an explosion-proof port; the explosion-proof tube assembly includes a first tube section, a second tube section and a third tube section connected in sequence; the first tube section is a metal tube, which is sealed and connected to the explosion-proof port; the second tube section is a high-temperature resistant insulating tube; and the third tube section is a metal tube, which is used to be connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
[0067] Furthermore, the second tube section is a ceramic tube.
[0068] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides another battery pack different from the above-mentioned battery pack, which can be defined as a Category 8 battery pack, including a battery pack support frame, an explosion-proof manifold, and a plurality of Category 8 battery modules fixed on the battery pack support frame; the third tube section of the explosion-proof transfer tube in each battery module is sealed and connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
[0069] A fifth aspect of the present invention provides another battery pack different from the above-mentioned battery pack, which can be defined as a ninth category battery pack. In this battery pack, the structure of the battery module is not specifically limited, and it can be any battery module in the prior art; it includes N battery modules and a mounting platform; N is greater than or equal to 2; the mounting platform is a frame structure, and a side beam in the mounting platform serves as an explosion venting manifold for thermal runaway flue gas; each battery module and the explosion venting manifold are sealed and insulated by an explosion venting pipe assembly; the explosion venting pipe assembly includes an explosion venting pipe, an insulating sealing rubber sleeve and a docking pipe; the explosion venting pipe is arranged on the outer shell of the battery module, and an explosion venting membrane is arranged in the explosion venting pipe; the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is arranged on the explosion venting pipe; the docking pipe is arranged on the explosion venting manifold, and the docking pipe is plugged into the outside of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve.
[0070] A sixth aspect of the present invention provides an explosion relief pipe assembly, one end of which is used to connect to the battery module and the other end of which is used to connect to the explosion relief manifold. The specific structure of the assembly has been described in the battery module.
[0071] A seventh aspect of the present invention provides a mounting platform for use with battery packs of the seventh or eighth categories described above. The mounting platform has a frame structure, wherein a side beam of the mounting platform serves as a venting manifold for thermal runaway flue gas, and the venting manifold is provided with multiple butting tubes. This mounting platform's side beam serving as the venting manifold saves space for the energy storage device compared to a separate venting manifold, and also reduces the cumbersome assembly process associated with a separate venting manifold.
[0072] Specifically, the mounting platform includes multiple pairs of support beams fixed within the frame structure; each pair of support beams serves as a mounting location for a battery module, and the support beams are insulated from the battery module. These support beams also serve as sliding guides for the battery module's explosion-proof vents and the connecting tubes on the explosion-proof manifold, ensuring a smooth and reliable assembly process.
[0073] An eighth aspect of the present invention provides a battery pack assembly, comprising the above-mentioned first type of battery pack, and also comprising a mounting bracket and a battery pack support frame; the battery pack is fixed to the battery pack support frame via the mounting bracket.
[0074] Furthermore, the battery pack support frame is a rectangular frame, including a U-shaped frame and a first beam detachably fixed to an open end of the U-shaped frame.
[0075] Furthermore, the U-shaped frame includes a second beam and a third beam fixed at each end of the second beam. The second beam is an I-shaped steel, and the battery pack's explosion-proof manifold is located between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel. While ensuring the support strength of the entire battery pack support frame, the placement of the explosion-proof manifold between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel creates a compact layout and improves the energy density of the entire battery pack assembly.
[0076] The ninth aspect of the present invention provides another battery pack assembly, including a battery pack support frame and the above-mentioned second type of battery pack fixed on the battery pack support frame, one of the side beams of the battery pack support frame is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold is embedded in the inner space between the upper flange and the lower flange of the side beam.
[0077] The tenth aspect of the present invention provides another battery pack assembly, comprising the above-mentioned third type battery pack and a battery pack support frame; the battery pack is fixed on the battery pack support frame.
[0078] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:
[0079] The present invention uses an explosion venting manifold to converge the explosion venting pipe assemblies of all battery modules in the battery pack. When a single battery in any battery module in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion venting manifold, reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and explosion of battery modules, even battery packs and energy storage containers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0080] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module in Example 1;
[0081] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion structure of a battery module in Example 1;
[0082] FIG3 is a second schematic diagram of a partial explosion structure of a battery module in Example 1;
[0083] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion structure of a battery module in Example 2;
[0084] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 2;
[0085] FIG6 is a cross-sectional view of the battery module in Example 2;
[0086] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the battery pack in Example 3;
[0087] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the assembly process of the battery pack in Example 3;
[0088] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the battery pack assembly in Example 4;
[0089] Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack support frame in Example 4;
[0090] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of the first beam and the second beam in Example 4;
[0091] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the assembly process of the battery pack assembly in Example 4;
[0092] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the battery module structure in Example 5;
[0093] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the battery module in Example 5 (a schematic diagram after removing the right end plate in FIG1 );
[0094] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery module with an insulating protective cover in Example 5;
[0095] FIG16 is a partial exploded view of the battery module in Example 6;
[0096] FIG17 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 6;
[0097] FIG18 is a partial exploded view of the battery module in Example 7;
[0098] FIG19 is a partial cross-sectional view of the battery module in Example 7;
[0099] FIG20 is a partial cross-sectional exploded view of the battery module in Example 7;
[0100] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack in Example 8;
[0101] FIG22 is a partial exploded view of the battery pack in Example 8;
[0102] FIG23 is a second partial exploded view of the battery pack in Example 8;
[0103] FIG24 is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion of a battery pack with a spliced explosion venting manifold;
[0104] FIG25 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack with a spliced explosion-relief manifold;
[0105] FIG26 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery pack in Example 9;
[0106] FIG27 is a partial exploded view of the battery pack in Example 9;
[0107] FIG28 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to Example 10;
[0108] FIG29 is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion of the battery module of Example 10;
[0109] FIG30 is a schematic diagram of the connection between adjacent battery modules in Example 10;
[0110] FIG31 is a partial explosion diagram of a battery module with an insulating protective cover in Example 10;
[0111] Figure 32 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 11;
[0112] FIG33 is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion of the battery module in Example 11;
[0113] FIG34 is a schematic diagram showing the connection of adjacent battery modules in Example 11;
[0114] FIG35 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack in Example 12;
[0115] FIG36 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery pack in Example 12;
[0116] FIG37 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack assembly in Example 13;
[0117] FIG38 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery pack assembly in Example 13;
[0118] Figure 39 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack support frame in Example 13;
[0119] Figure 40 is an exploded view of the battery pack support frame in Example 13;
[0120] FIG41 is a schematic diagram of the assembly process of the battery pack assembly in Example 13;
[0121] FIG42 is a schematic structural diagram of the explosion relief pipe assembly in Example 14;
[0122] FIG43 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion relief pipe assembly in Example 14;
[0123] FIG44 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 15;
[0124] FIG45 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 16;
[0125] FIG46 is a partial exploded schematic diagram of the battery module in Example 16;
[0126] FIG47 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module with an insulating protective cover in Example 16;
[0127] FIG48 is a partial exploded view of a battery module with an insulating protective cover in Example 16;
[0128] FIG49 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery pack in Example 17;
[0129] FIG50 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack in Example 18;
[0130] FIG51 is an exploded view of a partial structure of the battery pack in Example 18;
[0131] FIG52 is a partial exploded view of the battery pack in Example 18;
[0132] FIG53 is a schematic structural diagram of the explosion relief pipe assembly (the second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe) in Example 19;
[0133] FIG54 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion relief pipe assembly in Example 19;
[0134] FIG55 is a schematic structural diagram of the explosion relief pipe assembly (the second connecting pipe is a tee pipe) in Example 19;
[0135] FIG56 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 20 (the second connecting tube is a flexible hollow tube);
[0136] FIG57 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module (the second connecting pipe is a tee pipe) in Example 20;
[0137] FIG58 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module (the front cover of the housing is omitted) in Example 20;
[0138] FIG59 is an exploded view of the battery module in Example 20;
[0139] FIG60 is a schematic diagram of an explosion of the battery pack in Example 21 (the explosion venting manifold is a spliced tube);
[0140] FIG61 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack in Example 21 (the explosion venting manifold is a spliced tube);
[0141] FIG62 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack (the explosion venting manifold is a whole tube) in Example 21;
[0142] FIG63 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the explosion relief tube assembly and the battery module in Example 22;
[0143] FIG64 is an exploded view of the explosion relief pipe assembly in Example 22;
[0144] FIG65 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion relief pipe assembly in Example 22;
[0145] FIG66 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module in Example 22 (the second connecting tube is a flexible hollow tube);
[0146] Figure 67 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery module in Example 23;
[0147] FIG68 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery module equipped with heat transfer tubes in Example 23;
[0148] FIG69 is an exploded view of the battery module in Example 23;
[0149] FIG70 is a schematic diagram of an explosion of a battery pack in Example 24 (the explosion venting manifold is a spliced tube);
[0150] FIG71 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack in Example 24 (the explosion venting manifold is a spliced tube);
[0151] FIG72 is a schematic structural diagram of the battery pack (the explosion venting manifold is a whole tube) in Example 24;
[0152] FIG73 is a schematic structural diagram of the explosion relief pipe assembly in Example 25;
[0153] FIG74 is a structural diagram of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve in Example 25;
[0154] FIG75 is a structural diagram of the explosion relief manifold and the butt-joint pipe in Example 25;
[0155] FIG76 is a structural diagram of the battery pack in Example 25;
[0156] FIG77 is a structural diagram of the battery module according to Example 25 from a first perspective;
[0157] FIG78 is a structural diagram of the battery module in Example 25 from a second perspective;
[0158] Figure 79 is a structural diagram of the installation platform in Example 25;
[0159] The reference numerals in the figures are: 11, housing; 111, housing top plate; 112, housing bottom plate; 113, housing second side plate; 114, through hole; 115, housing first side plate; 12. Single cell; 121. Through slot; 122. Liquid cooling tube; 123. Electrical connector; 124. Insulation shield; 125. Polarity terminals of single cell; 13. Explosion vent assembly; 131. First explosion vent member; 1311. First hollow tube; 1312. Second hollow tube; 132. Second explosion vent member; 1321. First interface; 1322. Second interface; 1323. Third interface; 14. Flexible tube section; 15. Battery module; 16. Battery pack; 17. Mounting bracket; 18. Battery pack support frame; 181. U-shaped frame; 1811. Second beam; 1812. Third beam; 182. First beam; 183. Connecting plate; 19. Explosion vent manifold; 201. Tee; 202. Flexible pipe section; 21. Battery module; 211. Housing; 2111. Housing top plate; 2112. Housing bottom plate; 212. Single cell; 2121. Single cell polarity terminals; 213. Liquid cooling pipe; 2131. Liquid inlet of liquid cooling pipe; 2132. Liquid outlet of liquid cooling pipe; 214. Insulating protective cover; 2141. Slit; 215. Electrolyte sharing chamber; 216. Gas sharing chamber; 217. Explosion vent assembly; 2171. Flexible hollow pipe; 2172. First hollow pipe; 21721. Second annular plate; 2173. Second hollow pipe; 218. Support member; 219. First annular plate; 220. Electrical connector; 22. Battery pack; 221. Explosion vent manifold; 231. Battery pack support frame; 2311. Side beam; 31. Battery module; 311. Housing; 3111. Housing bottom plate; 3112. Housing top plate; 3113. First side plate; 3114. Second side plate; 3115. Through hole; 312. Single battery cell; 3121. Polarity terminal; 313. Electrolyte sharing chamber; 314. Gas sharing chamber; 315. Explosion vent assembly; 3151. First explosion vent member; 3152. Second explosion vent member; 31521. First interface; 31522. Second interface; 31523. Third interface; 316. Liquid cooling pipe; 317. Insulation shield; 32. Flexible pipe section; 33. Explosion vent manifold; 34. Battery pack support frame; 341. U-shaped frame; 3411. Second beam; 3412. Third beam; 342. First beam; 343. Connecting plate; 41. Explosion vent assembly; 411. First pipe section; 412. Second pipe section; 413. Third pipe section; 42. Battery module; 421. Shared chamber; 422. Single battery cell; 4221. Polarity terminals; 423. Housing; 4231. Housing bottom plate; 4232. End plate; 4233. Housing top plate; 43. Explosion vent; 44. Liquid cooling tube; 45. Insulation shield; 46. Battery pack support frame; 461. I-shaped steel side beam; 462. U-shaped frame;47. Explosion venting manifold; 471. Branch pipe; 472. Tee pipe; 473. Flexible pipe section; 51. Battery module; 52. Explosion venting pipe assembly; 53. Explosion venting manifold; 511. Housing; 512. Single battery; 513. Polarity terminal; 514, insulating sealant layer; 515, insulating protective cover; 516, heat transfer tube; 5111, gas sharing chamber; 5112, electrolyte sharing chamber; 5113, avoidance hole; 5114, explosion vent; 5131, through groove; 521, first connecting pipe; 522, second connecting pipe; 523, pipe seat; 524, insulating sleeve; 525, seal; 526, locking nut; 5211, explosion vent membrane; 5212, annular limiting boss; 5241, annular inner rib; 5242, annular outer rib; 5251, first sealing ring; 5252, second sealing ring; 5253, first conical seal; 5254, second conical seal; 5255, third conical seal; 531, flexible pipe section; 532, main pipe; 533, branch pipe; 61. Battery module; 62. Explosion venting pipe assembly; 63. Explosion venting manifold; 611. Housing; 612. Single cell; 613. Polarity terminal; 614. Heat transfer pipe; 615. Insulation shield; 6111. Gas sharing chamber; 6112. Electrolyte sharing chamber; 6113. Explosion vent; 621. First connecting pipe; 622. Second connecting pipe; 623. Ceramic tube; 624. First sealing gasket; 625. Second sealing gasket; 6211. Explosion venting membrane; 6212. Annular limiting boss; 6241. Sealing part; 6242. Bushing; 631. Flexible pipe section; 632. Main pipe; 633. Branch pipe; 71. Battery module; 74. Explosion venting manifold; 76. Explosion venting pipe; 77. Insulation sealing rubber sleeve; 78. Butt pipe; 79. Housing; 710. Explosion venting membrane, 711, ring plate, 712, mounting platform, 713, single battery, 714, first polarity terminal, 715, second polarity terminal, 716, second through hole, 717, hollow member, 718, electrolyte channel, 719, support beam. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0160] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present invention is given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary persons in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0161] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art may make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0162] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "top," "bottom," and so on, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and so on, are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0163] The battery modules in Examples 1 to 4 include a housing and multiple single cells; the inner cavity of the single cells includes an electrolyte area and a gas area; the multiple single cells are arranged in the same direction and placed in the housing; the inner cavity of the housing and the inner cavities of each single cell are connected.
[0164] The above-mentioned connection effect can be achieved by providing a shared cavity in the outer shell so that the inner cavity of the shared cavity is connected with the inner cavities of all the single batteries.
[0165] The above-mentioned shared chamber can be an electrolyte shared chamber. Through the electrolyte shared chamber, each single cell can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment, ensuring the uniformity of the electrolyte in each single cell; and improving the performance and charge and discharge cycle life of the battery module.
[0166] The above-mentioned shared chamber may also be a gas-sharing chamber, which can achieve gas balance of each single battery through the gas-sharing chamber, and can also improve the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module.
[0167] The above-mentioned shared chamber can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. Through a gas-liquid shared chamber, each single battery can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment and gas environment, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module.
[0168] In order to improve the heat dissipation performance of this type of battery module, avoidance holes are opened on the top plate of the shell corresponding to the poles of each single battery; the polarity terminals of each single battery extend out of the corresponding avoidance holes, and the top plate area of the shell corresponding to the avoidance holes is fixedly sealed with the single battery shell, so that the gap between the poles and the avoidance holes is sealed.
[0169] In order to lead the thermal runaway smoke out of the shell, a venting pipe assembly communicating with the inner cavity of the shell is provided on the shell; usually, the venting pipe assembly directly passes through the above-mentioned shared chamber.
[0170] In order to prevent the smoke from thermal runaway of single cells in individual battery modules from spreading to the entire container and causing safety problems, Examples 1 to 4 consider using a venting manifold to converge the explosion venting pipe assemblies of all battery modules in the battery pack. When a single cell in any battery module in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the venting manifold, reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and the risk of explosion of battery modules, even battery packs and energy storage containers.
[0171] Based on the above analysis, a whole tube can be selected as the explosion-proof manifold, on which multiple branch tubes connected to the explosion-proof tube assemblies of each battery module can be provided. During assembly, all battery modules are first arranged along the length of the explosion-proof manifold, and then the various branch tubes of the explosion-proof manifold are connected to the explosion-proof tube assemblies of the corresponding battery modules. During the connection, it is necessary to ensure the coaxiality of the branch tubes and the explosion-proof tube assemblies. Due to the installation error of the explosion-proof tube assemblies, the processing error of each branch tube, and the spacing deviation between the battery modules, it will be difficult for the branch tubes and the explosion-proof tube assemblies to be coaxial, making it difficult to assemble the explosion-proof manifold and each battery module.
[0172] In order to overcome the above problems, in Examples 1 to 4, the explosion relief pipe assembly is designed as a split part, and the explosion relief manifold is also designed as a split part, as follows:
[0173] In Examples 1 to 4, the explosion-relief pipe assembly is designed as a two-part structure. For ease of description, the two parts can be defined as a first explosion-relief component and a second explosion-relief component, respectively. The first explosion-relief component includes a first hollow pipe having an explosion-relief membrane provided therein and connected to the outer shell. The second explosion-relief component is a tee, whose first interface (vertical pipe segment joint) is sealedly connected to the first explosion-relief component, and the second interface and the third interface (two joints of the transverse pipe segment) are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe segments constituting the explosion-relief manifold. In other words, in Examples 1 to 4, the explosion-relief manifold is formed by splicing together the transverse pipe segments of multiple tee pipes and multiple flexible pipe segments.
[0174] During assembly, each three-way pipe section is fixed on the corresponding first explosion-proof component to form a battery module with an explosion-proof pipe assembly. Then, multiple battery modules are arranged in a set direction. Finally, two adjacent three-way pipes are connected using a flexible pipe section.
[0175] Since the explosion-proof manifolds in Examples 1 to 4 are spliced and the intermediate connecting pipe section is a flexible pipe section, the deformation of the flexible pipe section can compensate for the installation error of the explosion-proof pipe assembly and the battery module spacing deviation, reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold.
[0176] It should be noted that in order to further improve safety, the explosion-proof manifold and the battery module should be insulated. For example, flexible pipe sections and / or three-way pipe sections made of insulating and high-temperature resistant (thermal runaway flue gas temperature) materials can be used. Insulating pipe sections can also be added between the first explosion-proof pipe and the three-way pipe.
[0177] The following further describes Examples 1 to 4 with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0178] Example 1
[0179] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the battery module 15 of this embodiment includes a housing 11 and a plurality of single batteries 12 arranged in parallel within the housing 11 .
[0180] The single battery cells 12 in this embodiment are square-shell batteries, and the number is 13. In other embodiments, the number can be adjusted according to actual needs. The inner cavity of each single battery cell 12 includes an electrolyte area and a gas area.
[0181] For the convenience of description, the length direction of the housing 11 is defined as the x direction, the width direction of the housing 11 is defined as the y direction, and the height direction of the housing 11 is defined as the z direction.
[0182] An electrolyte sharing chamber is provided on the bottom plate 112 of the housing along the x-direction. The inner cavity of the electrolyte sharing chamber is in communication with the inner electrolyte area of each single battery 12 .
[0183] A gas sharing chamber is provided on the housing top plate 111 along the x-direction. The inner cavity of the gas sharing chamber is in communication with the inner gas areas of each single battery 12 .
[0184] In some other embodiments, only an electrolyte sharing chamber or a gas sharing chamber may be provided, or a gas-liquid sharing chamber may be provided along the x-direction on the first side plate 115 of the shell (the side plate parallel to the xz plane), and the inner cavity of the gas-liquid sharing chamber is connected to the electrolyte area and the gas area of the inner cavity of each single battery 12.
[0185] A through hole 114 penetrating the electrolyte shared chamber is provided on the second side plate 113 of the housing (a side plate parallel to the xy plane), and the explosion relief pipe assembly 13 is connected to the through hole 114 .
[0186] In this embodiment, the explosion relief pipe assembly 13 includes a first explosion relief member 131 and a second explosion relief member 132; wherein the first explosion relief member 131 includes a first hollow pipe 1311, which is provided with an explosion relief membrane inside and is used to connect to the shell 11. In order to fix it at the through hole 114 of the shell 11, in this embodiment, an annular plate is provided on the outer wall of one end of the hollow pipe, and the annular plate is sealed to the through hole 114 around by friction welding; the second explosion relief member 132 is a three-way pipe, whose first interface 1321 is sealed to the first explosion relief member 131, and the second interface 1322 and the third interface 1323 are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section 14 constituting the explosion relief manifold. The first interface 1321 is the joint of the vertical pipe of the three-way pipe (the pipe section parallel to the x direction in Figure 2), and the second interface 1322 and the third interface 1323 are respectively the two end joints of the horizontal pipe of the three-way pipe (the pipe section parallel to the y direction in Figure 2).
[0187] The first interface 1321 can be connected to the first explosion relief member 131 by threading, welding, or interference fit. In this embodiment, a flexible tee is used, where a flexible nut is connected to one end of the vertical tube of the tee as a flexible joint. External threads are provided on the outer wall of the end of the first explosion relief member 131 that connects to the second explosion relief member 132. The flexible joint of the second explosion relief member 132 is threadedly connected to the external threads on the outer wall of the first explosion relief member 131. The flexible joint allows for convenient direct connection to the first explosion relief member 131. A sealing gasket is provided at the free end of the first explosion relief member 131 to ensure a sealed connection.
[0188] As shown in FIG3 , the top plate 111 of the battery module housing of this embodiment is provided with avoidance holes for extending the polarity terminals 125 of each single battery; each single battery polarity terminal 125 extends out of the corresponding avoidance hole and the area of the housing 11 around the avoidance hole is fixedly sealed with the shell of the single battery 12.
[0189] In this embodiment, a through slot 121 is provided at the portion where the polarity terminal 125 of the single battery extends out of the avoidance hole, serving as a clamping portion for the liquid cooling tube 122. The liquid cooling tube 122 is fixed in the through slot 121. When the temperature of the battery module 15 is higher than a set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a lower temperature is introduced into the liquid cooling tube 122 to cool the battery module 15. When the temperature of the battery module 15 is lower than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a higher temperature is introduced into the liquid cooling tube 122 to heat the battery module 15. By controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, it is ensured that the battery module 15 always operates at a normal operating temperature.
[0190] In order to prevent condensation generated by the liquid cooling tube 122 from causing safety problems, this embodiment can also lay an insulating sealant layer on the top plate 111 of the outer shell, and part of the area of each single cell polarity terminal 125 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the electrical connection part (i.e., the upper end face) of each single cell polarity terminal 125 extends out of the insulating sealant layer and is connected to the electrical connector 123; the main part of the liquid cooling tube 122 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the liquid cooling tube 122 extend out of the insulating sealant layer for connection to the liquid cooling equipment.
[0191] Furthermore, since the poles are directly exposed to the external environment, there is a significant safety hazard during use due to the electrification of the poles. Therefore, this embodiment provides an insulating protective cover 124 on top of the battery module 15 to provide insulation protection for the poles, thereby avoiding the potential safety hazard of the exposed poles during operation of the battery module 15 and preventing foreign matter from falling into the pole position and causing a short circuit in the battery module 15, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 15.
[0192] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 124 completely wraps the pole, it will make the electrical connection of such battery module 15 more difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, a slit is opened on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 124 parallel to the xz plane, through which the electrical connector 123 can be connected to the pole, thereby achieving electrical connection.
[0193] It should also be noted that a channel for the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the liquid cooling tube 122 to extend out needs to be provided on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 124 .
[0194] Example 2
[0195] Different from the embodiment 1, as shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 , the first explosion relief member 131 of this embodiment further includes a second hollow tube 1312 made of insulating material.
[0196] The second hollow tube 1312 adopts a polyfluoro tube, including a connecting tube and a union nut connected to one end of the connecting tube; an external thread is provided on the outer wall of the other end of the connecting tube; the union nut of the second hollow tube 1312 is threadedly connected to the external thread on the outer wall of the first hollow tube 1311; the other end of the second hollow tube 1312 is threadedly connected to the union joint of the second explosion-relief component 132.
[0197] In some other embodiments, the second hollow tube 1312 may be made of other insulating and high-temperature resistant materials.
[0198] Based on the second hollow member, the explosion relief manifold and the battery module 15 can be insulated at the end of the battery module 15. In addition, in order to improve the sealing of the connection part, a sealing gasket can be provided on the first hollow member and the free end of the connecting pipe.
[0199] Example 3
[0200] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, this embodiment is a battery pack 16, which is composed of 13 battery modules 15 in Example 1 or Example 2. The second explosion relief components 132 of two adjacent battery modules 15 are connected by a flexible pipe section 14. The free end of the second explosion relief component 132 of one of the two outermost battery modules 15 is sealed, and the free end of the other battery module 15 is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack 16.
[0201] In this embodiment, the pipe section connecting the second explosion relief component 132 and the first flexible pipe section 14 is defined as the explosion relief manifold 19 (wherein the second explosion relief component 132 is a common structure of the explosion relief pipe assembly 13 and the explosion relief manifold), and the thermal runaway flue gas is discharged through the thermal runaway flue gas exhaust port.
[0202] In order to clearly show the explosion relief manifold, only the two outermost battery modules 15 are schematically shown in Figure 7. In other embodiments, the number of battery modules 15 can be adjusted according to actual needs.
[0203] The flexible pipe section 14 and the second explosion relief member 132 can be connected by welding or screwing. Welding is more complex than screwing, so this embodiment uses screwing. In this embodiment, the flexible pipe section 14 is a metal bellows with union nuts at both ends, which is both high-temperature resistant and flexible. To connect with it, external threads are provided on the outer walls of the transverse pipe section of the second explosion relief member 132 at both ends. The union nuts of the flexible pipe section 14 are threadedly connected to the external threads on the outer wall of the second explosion relief member 132. To improve the sealing of the connection, a sealing gasket can be provided at the connection.
[0204] As shown in FIG8 , the battery pack 16 can be assembled in the following steps:
[0205] Arrange 13 battery modules 15 in a set direction, then connect the second explosion relief members 132 of two adjacent battery modules 15 using a flexible hose, and seal the free end of the second explosion relief member 132 of the outermost battery module 15 to obtain the battery pack 16 of this embodiment.
[0206] Example 4
[0207] This embodiment is a battery pack assembly, including the battery pack 16 in Embodiment 3 and a battery pack support frame 18 for supporting the battery pack 16 .
[0208] The structure of the battery pack support frame 18 is shown in Figures 9 and 10. It is a rectangular frame. To facilitate the fixing of the battery pack 16 to the battery pack support frame 18, this embodiment designs the battery pack support frame 18 as a split structure, including a U-shaped frame 181 and a first beam 182 fixed to the open end of the U-shaped frame 181. The battery pack 16 is assembled through the open end of the U-shaped frame 181.
[0209] In some other embodiments, an integrated rectangular frame may be used. However, compared with this embodiment, the assembly of the battery pack 16 and the rectangular frame is more difficult.
[0210] For ease of description, this embodiment divides the U-shaped frame 181 into three parts: a second beam 1811 and two third beams 1812 fixed to each end of the second beam 1811. To enhance the structural strength of the entire battery pack support frame 18, the first beam 182 and the second beam 1811 opposite the first beam 182 are constructed of I-shaped steel, as shown in Figure 11. The third beam 1812 is constructed of square steel. Furthermore, to facilitate assembly of the battery pack assembly into the container, rollers are installed at the bottom of the third beam 1812.
[0211] During assembly, the corresponding mounting bracket 17 is fixed on each battery module 15, and the explosion relief pipe assemblies of adjacent battery modules 15 are connected using the flexible pipe section 14. As shown in FIG12 , the U-shaped frame 181 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow a in the figure. The explosion relief manifold of the battery pack 16 is located between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel. The part of the mounting bracket 17 close to the second beam 1811 is located on the upper wing plate of the second beam 1811, indicating that it has been moved into place. Then, the first beam 182 is connected using the connecting plate 183. Fixed to the open end of the U-shaped frame 181, specifically, first fix one end of the two connecting plates 183 to the two ends of the first beam 182 respectively. Then, move the first beam 182 with the connecting plates 183 fixed in the direction indicated by arrow b until the connecting plates 183 are inserted into the third beam 1812. The part of the mounting bracket 17 close to the first beam 182 is located on the upper wing plate of the first beam 182, indicating that it has been moved into place. Fix the connecting plates 183 and the third beam 1812 with screws.
[0212] Finally, the mounting brackets 17 on each battery module 15 are fixed to the first beam 182 and the second beam 1811 .
[0213] In some other embodiments, the battery pack 16 can be pushed in through the open end of the U-shaped frame 181 and fixed to the battery pack support frame 18 through the battery pack 16 bracket. Then, the first beam 182 is fixed to the open end of the U-shaped frame 181, and the battery pack 16 bracket on the other side is fixed to the first beam 182 to complete the assembly.
[0214] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the battery module 21 in Examples 5 to 9 includes a shell 211 and multiple single cells 212; the inner cavity of the single cell 212 includes an electrolyte area and a gas area; the multiple single cells 212 are arranged in the same direction and placed in the shell 211; the inner cavity of the shell 211 and the inner cavity of each single cell 212 are connected.
[0215] Preferably, a shared cavity may be provided in the housing 211 so that the inner cavity of the shared cavity is connected to the inner cavities of all the single cells 212 , thereby achieving the above-mentioned connection effect.
[0216] The above-mentioned shared chamber can be an electrolyte shared chamber 215 (see Figure 14). Through the electrolyte shared chamber 215, each single cell 212 can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment, ensuring the uniformity of the electrolyte in each single cell 212; and improving the performance and charge and discharge cycle life of the battery module 21.
[0217] The shared chamber may also be a gas shared chamber 216 (see FIG. 14 ). The gas shared chamber 216 can be used to achieve gas balance in each battery cell 212 , thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 21 .
[0218] The shared chamber may also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. Through the gas-liquid shared chamber, each single battery 212 can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment and gas environment, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 21.
[0219] In order to improve the heat dissipation performance of this type of battery module 21, avoidance holes are opened on the top plate 2111 of the outer shell corresponding to each single cell polarity terminal 2121; each single cell polarity terminal 2121 extends out of the corresponding avoidance hole as a polarity terminal of the battery module 21 (all single cell polarity terminals 2121 located on one side serve as the first polarity terminal of the battery module 21, and all single cell polarity terminals 2121 located on the other side serve as the second polarity terminal of the battery module 21), and the area of the top plate 2111 of the outer shell corresponding to the avoidance hole is fixedly sealed with the shell of the single cell 212, so that the gap between the single cell polarity terminal 2121 and the avoidance hole is sealed.
[0220] It should be noted that the single cell polarity terminal 2121 described here can be the single cell 212 pole. In order to avoid the single cell 212 pole from being unable to smoothly extend out of the avoidance hole as a polarity terminal, a pole adapter can also be connected to the single cell 212 pole, and the overall structure of the single cell 212 pole and the pole adapter can be used as the single cell polarity terminal 2121.
[0221] A clamping portion for the liquid cooling tube 213 is provided on the polarity terminals of the battery module 21. The liquid cooling tube 213 is secured within the clamping portion, directly connecting the liquid cooling tube 213 to the polarity terminals of the battery module 21. This allows heat to be promptly removed from the polarity terminals, where heat is more concentrated, improving the heat dissipation of the battery module 21. Furthermore, when the temperature of the battery module 21 falls below a set threshold, a higher-temperature heat transfer medium is introduced into the liquid cooling tube 213 to raise the temperature of the battery module 21. By controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, the battery module 21 is ensured to always operate at its normal operating temperature.
[0222] Since the single cell polarity terminals 2121 are directly exposed to the external environment, there is a significant safety hazard during use due to the single cell polarity terminals 2121 being charged. Based on this, as shown in FIG15 , an insulating protective cover 214 can also be provided on the top of the battery module 21 to provide insulation protection for the single cell polarity terminals 2121, thereby avoiding the potential safety hazard of the single cell polarity terminals 2121 being exposed during the operation of the battery module 21, and also preventing some foreign matter from the external environment from falling into the position of the single cell polarity terminals 2121, causing the battery module 21 to short-circuit, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 21.
[0223] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 214 completely wraps the polarity terminals of the battery module 21, it will make the electrical connection of such battery module 21 more difficult. Therefore, embodiments 5 to 9 have a slit 2141 on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 214. Through the slit 2141, the electrical connector 220 can be connected to the polarity terminal 2121 of the single cell, thereby achieving electrical connection.
[0224] It should also be noted that a channel for the liquid inlet end 2131 and the liquid outlet end 2132 of the liquid cooling tube to extend out needs to be provided on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 214 .
[0225] As shown in Figures 13 and 15, in order to lead the thermal runaway smoke out of the housing 211 of the battery module 21, a venting pipe assembly 217 connected to the inner cavity of the housing 211 is provided on the housing 211; usually, the venting pipe assembly 217 directly passes through the above-mentioned shared cavity.
[0226] As shown in Figure 21, Examples 5 to 9 also disclose a battery pack 22 including the above-mentioned multiple battery modules 21. In order to prevent the thermal runaway smoke of the single battery 212 in an individual battery module 21 from spreading to the entire container and causing safety problems, Examples 5 to 9 consider converging the explosion-proof pipe assemblies 217 of all battery modules 21 in the battery pack 22 using an explosion-proof manifold 221 (only three battery modules 21 are schematically shown in Figure 21). When a single battery 212 in any battery module 21 in the battery pack 22 undergoes thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion-proof manifold 221, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading, battery module 21, even battery pack 22 and energy storage container bursting.
[0227] Based on the above analysis, a whole tube can be selected as the explosion-proof manifold 221, and a branch tube corresponding to each battery module explosion-proof tube assembly 217 is provided on the explosion-proof manifold 221. The explosion-proof tube assembly 217 of each battery module 21 is connected to the explosion-proof manifold 221 through the corresponding branch tube. During assembly, all battery modules 21 are first arranged along the length direction of the explosion-proof manifold 221, and then the explosion-proof manifold 221 is connected to the explosion-proof tube assembly 217 of the corresponding battery module 21. During connection, it is necessary to ensure the coaxiality of the branch tube and the explosion-proof tube assembly 217. Due to the installation error of the explosion-proof tube assembly 217, the processing error of each branch tube and the spacing deviation problem between the battery modules 21, it will cause the branch tube and the explosion-proof tube assembly 217 to be difficult to be coaxial, making it difficult to assemble the explosion-proof manifold 221 with each battery module 21.
[0228] In order to overcome the above problems, in Examples 5 to 9, the explosion relief pipe assembly 217 is designed as a flexible hollow pipe 2171 .
[0229] During assembly, each flexible hollow tube 2171 is fixed on the corresponding battery module 21 to form a battery module 21 with an explosion-proof tube assembly 217. Then, multiple battery modules 21 with explosion-proof tube assemblies 217 are arranged along the length direction of the explosion-proof manifold 221. Then, each flexible hollow tube 2171 is connected to the explosion-proof manifold 221.
[0230] The explosion-venting manifold 221 of Examples 5 to 9 can be an explosion-venting manifold 221 with branches, the branches correspond one-to-one to the explosion-venting manifold 221 of each battery module 21, and each flexible hollow pipe 2171 is connected to the corresponding branch; the explosion-venting manifold 221 of Examples 5 to 9 can also be an explosion-venting manifold 221 with openings in the tube wall, the openings correspond one-to-one to the explosion-venting manifold 221 of each battery module 21, and each flexible hollow pipe 2171 is connected to the tube wall at the corresponding opening.
[0231] Since Examples 5 to 9 use a flexible hollow tube 2171 as the explosion-proof tube assembly 217 , the deformation of the flexible hollow tube 2171 can compensate for the installation error of the explosion-proof tube assembly 217 and the spacing deviation between each battery module 21 , thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 221 .
[0232] Another solution can be considered: designing the explosion relief pipe assembly 217 as a three-way structure and designing the explosion relief manifold 221 as a split component including the flexible pipe section 202, as follows:
[0233] As shown in Figures 24 and 25 , the explosion venting pipe assembly is a tee 201, whose first interface (vertical pipe segment joint) is sealed with the housing 211, and the second and third interfaces (two joints of the transverse pipe segment) are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe segments 202 that constitute the explosion venting manifold 221. In other words, in this solution, the explosion venting manifold 221 is composed of multiple transverse pipe segments of the tee 201 and multiple flexible pipe segments 202.
[0234] During assembly, each three-way pipe 201 is fixed on the corresponding battery module 21 shell 211 to form a battery module 21 with an explosion-proof pipe assembly 217. Then, multiple battery modules 21 with explosion-proof pipe assemblies 217 are arranged in a set direction. Finally, the flexible pipe section 202 is used to connect two adjacent three-way pipes 201.
[0235] Because this solution uses a spliced explosion-proof manifold 221, and the middle connecting pipe section is a flexible pipe section 202, the deformation of the flexible pipe section 202 can also compensate for the installation error of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 217 and the spacing deviation of the battery module 21, and can also reduce the installation difficulty of the explosion-proof manifold 221.
[0236] However, compared with Examples 5 to 9, the explosion-venting manifold 221 in this solution is a spliced pipe section. First, multiple leakage points are easily formed at the splicing parts, which has a higher leakage risk, while the explosion-venting manifold 221 in Examples 5 to 9 is a whole pipe, which has a lower leakage risk; secondly, the connection of the explosion-venting manifold 221 in this solution is more complicated.
[0237] As shown in FIG26 , Examples 5 to 9 further disclose a battery pack assembly, including a battery pack support frame 231 and the above-mentioned battery pack 22 fixed on the battery pack support frame 231 (the battery pack in FIG26 only schematically shows three battery modules 21 ).
[0238] The following further describes Examples 5 to 9 with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0239] Example 5
[0240] As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 , the battery module 21 of this embodiment includes a housing 211 and a plurality of single batteries 212 arranged in parallel within the housing 211 .
[0241] The single cells 212 in this embodiment are prismatic cells, numbering 13. Each single cell 212 has an inner cavity comprising an electrolyte region and a gas region. In other embodiments, the number of single cells 212 can be adjusted based on actual needs, and the shape of the single cells 212 can also be adjusted based on actual needs.
[0242] As can be seen from the figure, this embodiment adopts a rectangular housing 211. For the convenience of description, the length direction of the housing 211 is defined as the x direction, the width direction of the housing 211 is defined as the y direction, and the height direction of the housing 211 is defined as the z direction.
[0243] Referring to Figure 14 , an electrolyte sharing chamber 215 is provided along the x-direction between the housing bottom plate 2112 and each of the individual cells 212. The inner cavity of the electrolyte sharing chamber 215 communicates with the electrolyte area within each of the individual cells 212. It should be noted that the electrolyte sharing chamber 215 is a liquid channel extending along the x-direction between the housing bottom plate 2112 and each of the individual cells 212. This liquid channel can be integrally formed with the housing bottom plate 2112, or formed by providing a support member 218 between the lower cover plate of the individual cells 212 and the housing bottom plate 2112 (as shown in Figure 14 ).
[0244] A gas sharing chamber 216 is provided on the top plate 2111 of the housing along the x-direction. The inner cavity of the gas sharing chamber 216 is in communication with the inner gas areas of each single battery 212 .
[0245] In some other embodiments, only an electrolyte sharing chamber 215 or a gas sharing chamber 216 may be provided, or a gas-liquid sharing chamber may be provided along the x direction on the first side plate of the outer shell 211 (the side plate parallel to the xz plane), and the inner cavity of the gas-liquid sharing chamber is connected to the electrolyte area and gas area of the inner cavity of each single cell 212.
[0246] A through hole penetrating the electrolyte shared chamber 215 is provided on the second side plate of the housing 211 (the side plate parallel to the yz plane), and the explosion relief pipe assembly 217 is connected to the through hole.
[0247] With reference to Figure 15 , in this embodiment, the explosion venting tube assembly 217 is a flexible hollow tube 2171, which has an explosion venting membrane disposed therein. One end of the flexible hollow tube 2171 is secured to the through-hole of the housing 211. In this embodiment, a first annular plate 219 is provided on the outer wall of one end of the flexible hollow tube 2171. The first annular plate 219 is friction-welded to seal the periphery of the through-hole. In other embodiments, the flexible hollow tube 2171 may be secured to the through-hole of the housing 211 using a threaded connection, but the sealing of the threaded connection must be ensured.
[0248] The other end of the flexible hollow tube 2171 is used to connect to the explosion venting manifold 221. As can be seen from the figure, this embodiment has a flexible joint at the other end of the flexible hollow tube 2171. The corresponding explosion venting manifold 221 is an explosion venting manifold 221 with branches. The flexible joint can be conveniently connected to the corresponding branch of the explosion venting manifold 221 through the flexible joint. A sealing gasket can be provided at the connection to ensure the sealing performance of the connection.
[0249] In this embodiment, the flexible hollow tube 2171 is a bellows, which can be a metal bellows or a plastic bellows. However, such a bellows must meet at least the following two requirements:
[0250] 1. High temperature resistance (thermal runaway flue gas temperature), that is, when thermal runaway occurs, the bellows cannot be deformed;
[0251] 2. Corrosion resistance, that is, when thermal runaway occurs, it cannot be corroded or deformed due to contact with thermal runaway flue gas or thermal runaway emissions.
[0252] It should be noted that, in order to further improve safety, the explosion-proof manifold 221 should be insulated from the battery module 21 . In this embodiment, a flexible hollow tube 2171 and / or the explosion-proof manifold 221 made of insulating material may be used.
[0253] As shown in FIG14 , the top plate 2111 of the battery module 21 in this embodiment has a relief hole that allows the polarity terminal 2121 of each single battery to extend out; each single battery polarity terminal 2121 extends out of the corresponding relief hole and the area of the housing 211 around the relief hole is fixedly sealed to the shell of the single battery 212 .
[0254] In this embodiment, a through groove is provided at the portion where the polarity terminal 2121 of the single battery extends out of the avoidance hole, serving as a clamping portion for the liquid cooling tube 213; the liquid cooling tube 213 is fixed in the through groove, and when the temperature of the battery module 21 is higher than a set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a lower temperature is passed through the liquid cooling tube 213 to cool the battery module 21; when the temperature of the battery module 21 is lower than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a higher temperature is passed through the liquid cooling tube 213 to heat the battery module 21; by controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, it is ensured that the battery module 21 always operates at a normal operating temperature.
[0255] In order to prevent condensation generated by the liquid cooling tube 213 from causing safety problems, this embodiment can also lay an insulating sealant layer on the top plate 2111 of the outer shell, and part of the area of each single cell polarity terminal 2121 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the electrical connection part (i.e., the upper end face) of each single cell polarity terminal 2121 extends out of the insulating sealant layer and is connected to the electrical connector 220; the main part of the liquid cooling tube 213 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the liquid inlet end 2131 and the liquid outlet end of the liquid cooling tube extend out of the insulating sealant layer for connection to the liquid cooling equipment.
[0256] Furthermore, since the poles are directly exposed to the external environment, there is a significant safety hazard during use due to the electrification of the poles. Based on this, as shown in FIG15 , this embodiment provides an insulating protective cover 214 on top of the battery module 21 to provide insulation protection for the poles, thereby avoiding the potential safety hazard of the poles being exposed during operation of the battery module 21 and preventing foreign matter from falling into the pole position and causing a short circuit in the battery module 21, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 21.
[0257] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 214 completely wraps the pole, it will make the electrical connection of such battery module 21 more difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, a slit 2141 is opened on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 214 parallel to the xz plane. Through the slit 2141, the electrical connector 220 can be connected to the pole, thereby achieving electrical connection.
[0258] It should also be noted that a channel for the liquid inlet end 2131 and the liquid outlet end 2132 of the liquid cooling tube to extend out needs to be provided on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 214 .
[0259] Example 6
[0260] 16 and 17 , the explosion venting tube assembly 217 of this embodiment further includes a first hollow tube 2172 , and the explosion venting membrane is disposed within the first hollow tube 2172 . The flexible hollow tube 2171 is connected to the housing 211 via the first hollow tube 2172 .
[0261] One end of the first hollow tube 2172 is connected to the housing 211. To secure it to the through hole of the housing 211, a second annular plate 21721 is provided on the outer wall of one end of the first hollow tube 2172 in this embodiment. The annular plate is friction-welded to seal the periphery of the through hole.
[0262] The other end of the first hollow pipe 2172 is provided with an external thread, and both ends of the flexible hollow pipe 2171 are provided with a flexible joint;
[0263] The flexible hollow pipe 2171 is threadedly connected to the first hollow pipe 2172 via a flexible joint at one end.
[0264] Compared with Example 5, in this embodiment, after the battery module 21 (excluding the flexible hollow tube 2171 ) is prepared and assembled into the battery pack 22 , the flexible hollow tube 2171 can be connected to the battery module 21 .
[0265] Example 7
[0266] Different from the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18 to FIG. 20 , the explosion relief pipe assembly 217 of this embodiment further includes a second hollow pipe 2173 made of insulating material.
[0267] Similar to Example 6, the explosion-proof membrane of this embodiment is arranged in the first hollow tube 2172, and one end of the first hollow tube 2172 is connected to the outer shell 211. In order to fix it at the through hole of the outer shell 211, this embodiment provides a second annular plate 21721 on the outer wall of one end of the first hollow tube 2172, and the second annular plate 21721 is sealed around the through hole by friction welding; the other end of the first hollow tube 2172 is provided with an internal thread for connecting with the second hollow tube 2173.
[0268] In this embodiment, the second hollow pipe fitting 2173 adopts a polyfluoro tube. As can be seen from Figures 19 and 20, one end of the polyfluoro tube has a smaller outer diameter and is provided with an external thread, which is connected to the internal thread of the first hollow pipe fitting 2172; the other end of the polyfluoro tube has a larger outer diameter and is provided with an external thread, which is connected to the flexible joint of the flexible hollow pipe fitting 2171.
[0269] In some other embodiments, the second hollow tube 2173 may be made of other insulating and high-temperature resistant materials.
[0270] Based on the second hollow member, the explosion relief manifold 221 can be insulated from the battery module 21 at the end of the battery module 21. In addition, in order to improve the sealing performance of the connection parts, sealing gaskets can be provided at each connection part.
[0271] Example 8
[0272] As shown in Figure 21, this embodiment is a battery pack 22, including an explosion-proof manifold 221 and the 13 battery modules 21 in the above embodiment. The flexible hollow tube 2171 of each battery module 21 is connected to the explosion-proof manifold 221. One end of the explosion-proof manifold 221 is sealed and the other end is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack 22.
[0273] In this embodiment, the explosion venting manifold 221 includes a main pipe and 13 branch pipes arranged on the main pipe; the 13 branch pipes correspond one-to-one to the 13 flexible hollow pipes 2171 of the battery modules 21; and each branch pipe is connected to the flexible hollow pipe 2171 of the corresponding battery module 21.
[0274] In order to clearly show the explosion relief manifold 221, Figure 21 schematically shows only three battery modules 21. In other embodiments, the number of battery modules 21 can be adjusted according to actual needs.
[0275] The flexible hollow pipe 2171 and the branch pipes of the explosion relief manifold 221 can be connected by welding or screwing. Welding is more complicated than screwing, so screwing is used in this embodiment.
[0276] In this embodiment, the flexible hollow pipe 2171 is a metal bellows with flexible joints at both ends. It is resistant to high temperatures and has a certain degree of flexibility. To connect with it, it is necessary to provide external threads on the outer wall of the branch pipe of the explosion venting manifold 221. The flexible joints of the flexible hollow pipe 2171 are threadedly connected to the external threads on the outer wall of the branch pipe of the explosion venting manifold 221. To improve the sealing of the connection, a sealing gasket can be provided at the connection.
[0277] In this embodiment, the battery pack 22 (taking the battery pack 22 including 13 battery modules 21 in Embodiment 7 as an example) can be assembled by the following steps:
[0278] As shown in FIG22 , the flexible hollow tube 2171 is first fixed to each battery module 21 ; the 13 battery modules 21 are arranged in a set direction, and then the flexible hollow tube 2171 of each battery module 21 is connected to the branch pipe of the explosion venting manifold 221 to obtain the battery pack 22 of this embodiment.
[0279] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 23 , each flexible hollow tube 2171 is first connected to a branch of the explosion relief manifold 221 , and then each flexible hollow tube 2171 is connected to the second hollow tube 2173 of the corresponding battery module 21 to obtain the battery pack 22 of this embodiment.
[0280] When the battery module in Example 6 is used, each flexible hollow tube 2171 is connected to the first hollow tube of the corresponding battery module 21 .
[0281] When the battery module in Example 5 is used, the assembly method shown in FIG. 22 is preferably used.
[0282] Example 9
[0283] As shown in FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 , this embodiment is a battery pack assembly, comprising the battery pack 22 in any of the above embodiments and a battery pack support frame 231 for supporting the battery pack 22 .
[0284] Among them, one of the side beams 2311 of the battery pack support frame 231 is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold 221 is embedded in the inner space between the upper flange and the lower flange of the side beam 2311.
[0285] In this embodiment, the explosion venting manifold 221 is directly embedded in the space between the upper and lower flanges of the side beam 2311 without occupying additional space, so that the battery pack 22 has a higher energy density.
[0286] At the same time, the side beam 2311 is made of I-shaped steel, and the upper flange of the side beam 2311 can be used as the fixing surface of the battery module 21. The upper flange is the maximum load-bearing surface of the I-shaped steel, so that the entire battery pack 22 bracket has good supporting strength without the need for additional supporting structural parts, which can further improve the energy density of the entire battery pack 22.
[0287] Examples 10 to 13 provide another battery module, which includes a shell and multiple single cells; the inner cavity of the single cell includes an electrolyte area and a gas area; the multiple single cells are arranged in the same direction and placed in the shell; the inner cavity of the shell and the inner cavity of each single cell are connected.
[0288] The above-mentioned connection effect can be achieved by providing a shared cavity in the outer shell so that the inner cavity of the shared cavity is connected with the inner cavities of all the single batteries.
[0289] The above-mentioned shared chamber can be an electrolyte shared chamber. Through the electrolyte shared chamber, each single cell can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment, ensuring the uniformity of the electrolyte in each single cell; and improving the performance and charge and discharge cycle life of the battery module.
[0290] The above-mentioned shared chamber may also be a gas-sharing chamber, which can achieve gas balance of each single battery through the gas-sharing chamber, and can also improve the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module.
[0291] The above-mentioned shared chamber can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. Through a gas-liquid shared chamber, each single battery can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment and gas environment, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module.
[0292] In order to lead the thermal runaway smoke out of the shell, Examples 10 to 13 are provided with a venting pipe assembly connected to the inner cavity of the shell. Usually, the venting pipe assembly directly passes through the above-mentioned shared chamber.
[0293] Embodiments 10 to 13 also provide a battery pack constructed by at least two of the above-mentioned battery modules. In order to prevent the smoke from thermal runaway of a single cell in an individual battery module from spreading to the entire container and causing safety problems, Embodiments 10 to 13 consider converging the explosion vent pipe assemblies of all battery modules in the battery pack using an explosion vent manifold. When a single cell in any battery module in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion vent manifold, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and explosion of the battery module, or even the battery pack and the energy storage container.
[0294] Based on the above analysis, a whole tube can be selected as the explosion-proof manifold, on which multiple branch tubes connected to the explosion-proof tube assemblies of each battery module can be provided. During assembly, all battery modules are first arranged along the length of the explosion-proof manifold, and then the various branch tubes of the explosion-proof manifold are connected to the explosion-proof tube assemblies of the corresponding battery modules. During the connection, it is necessary to ensure the coaxiality of the branch tubes and the explosion-proof tube assemblies. Due to the installation error of the explosion-proof tube assemblies, the processing error of each branch tube, and the spacing deviation between the battery modules, it will be difficult for the branch tubes and the explosion-proof tube assemblies to be coaxial, making it difficult to assemble the explosion-proof manifold and each battery module.
[0295] In order to overcome the above problems, in Examples 10 to 13, the explosion venting pipe assembly of each battery module is designed as a separate component, and the explosion venting manifold is also designed as a separate component, as follows:
[0296] In Examples 10 to 13, the explosion-venting pipe assembly is designed as a two-part structure. For ease of description, the two parts can be defined as a first explosion-venting component and a second explosion-venting component, respectively. The first explosion-venting component is a hollow pipe with an explosion-venting membrane inside, which is connected to the battery module housing. The second explosion-venting component is a three-way pipe, whose first interface (vertical pipe segment joint) is sealed with the hollow pipe, and the second interface and the third interface (two joints of the transverse pipe segment) are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe segments that constitute the explosion-venting manifold. In other words, in Examples 10 to 13, the explosion-venting manifold is spliced together by the transverse pipe segments of multiple three-way pipes and multiple flexible pipe segments.
[0297] During assembly, each tee is fixed to the corresponding hollow pipe to form a battery module with an explosion relief pipe assembly. Then, multiple battery modules are arranged in a set direction. Finally, two adjacent tees are connected using a flexible pipe section.
[0298] Since Examples 10 to 13 use a spliced explosion-proof manifold, and the intermediate connecting pipe section is a flexible pipe section, the deformation of the flexible pipe section can compensate for the installation error of the explosion-proof pipe assembly and the battery module spacing deviation, reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold.
[0299] It should be noted that in order to further improve safety, the explosion venting manifold and the battery module should be insulated. For example, flexible pipe sections and / or tees made of insulating and high-temperature resistant (thermal runaway flue gas temperature) materials can be used. Insulating pipe sections can also be added between the hollow pipe and the tee.
[0300] In addition, if the hollow pipe fitting is perpendicular to the horizontal section of the tee pipe, when thermal runaway occurs, the thermal runaway material in the inner cavity of the shell (including thermal runaway flue gas and part of the ejected electrolyte) breaks through the explosion-proof membrane and is incident vertically from the hollow pipe fitting to the horizontal section of the tee pipe. After being blocked by the horizontal section of the tee pipe, part of the thermal runaway material rushes back into the interior of the shell, causing safety problems.
[0301] In order to solve this problem, Examples 10 to 13 bend the hollow pipe fittings and / or the vertical pipe sections of the tee pipe, so that the thermal runaway material changes its movement direction at the bent portion. First, the flow rate of the thermal runaway material when it reaches the horizontal pipe section of the tee pipe can be reduced, and no excessive impact will be generated in the horizontal pipe section of the tee pipe, thereby reducing the backwash phenomenon; secondly, even if some thermal runaway material backflows into the hollow pipe fittings and / or the vertical pipe sections of the tee pipe, the blocking of the bent portion can prevent more thermal runaway material from entering the inner cavity of the shell.
[0302] In addition, in Examples 10 to 13, the above-mentioned problem can also be solved by bending the horizontal pipe section of the tee (bending the connection portion with the vertical pipe section of the tee and bending in a direction away from the vertical pipe section of the tee);
[0303] Thermal runaway materials rush out from the hollow pipe fittings and directly rush to the bending part of the transverse pipe section of the tee pipe, changing the direction of movement in the bending part. Most of the thermal runaway materials flow to the transverse pipe section of the tee pipe, reducing the backwash phenomenon.
[0304] The following further describes Examples 10 to 13 with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0305] Example 10
[0306] As shown in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 , the battery module 31 of this embodiment includes a housing 311 and a plurality of single batteries 312 arranged in parallel within the housing 311 .
[0307] The single cells 312 in this embodiment are square-shell batteries, and there are 13 of them. In other embodiments, the number can be adjusted according to actual needs. The inner cavity of each single cell 312 includes an electrolyte area and a gas area.
[0308] For the convenience of description, the length direction of the housing 311 is defined as the x direction, the width direction of the housing 311 is defined as the y direction, and the height direction of the housing 311 is defined as the z direction.
[0309] An electrolyte sharing chamber 313 is provided on the bottom plate 3111 of the housing along the x-direction. The inner cavity of the electrolyte sharing chamber 313 is in communication with the inner electrolyte area of each single battery 312 .
[0310] A gas sharing chamber 314 is provided on the top plate 3112 of the housing along the x-direction. The inner cavity of the gas sharing chamber 314 is in communication with the inner gas areas of each single battery 312 .
[0311] In some other embodiments, only an electrolyte sharing chamber 313 or a gas sharing chamber 314 may be provided, or a gas-liquid sharing chamber may be provided along the x direction on the first side plate 3113 of the outer shell 311 (the side plate parallel to the xz plane), and the inner cavity of the gas-liquid sharing chamber is connected to the electrolyte area and gas area of the inner cavity of each single battery 312.
[0312] A through hole 3115 penetrating the electrolyte shared chamber 313 is provided on the second side plate 3114 of the housing 311 (a side plate parallel to the yz plane), and the explosion relief pipe assembly 315 is connected to the through hole 3115 .
[0313] In this embodiment, the explosion relief pipe assembly 315 includes a first explosion relief member 3151 and a second explosion relief member 3152. The first explosion relief member 3151 is a hollow tube having an explosion relief membrane disposed therein for connection to the housing 311. To secure the first explosion relief member 3151 to the through hole 3115 of the housing 311, an annular plate is disposed on the outer wall of one end of the first explosion relief member 3151, which is friction-welded to seal the annular plate around the through hole 3115. The second explosion relief member 3152 is a tee, having a first interface 31521 sealedly connected to the first explosion relief member 3151, and a second interface 31522 and a third interface 31523, respectively, for connection to the flexible pipe section 32 constituting the explosion relief manifold 33. The first interface 31521 is the joint of the vertical pipe of the tee, while the second interface 31522 and the third interface 31523 are the joints at both ends of the horizontal pipe of the tee (the pipe section parallel to the y-direction in FIG. 29 ).
[0314] The first interface 31521 can be connected to the first explosion relief member 3151 via threaded connection, welding, or interference fit. This embodiment utilizes a flexible tee, where a flexible nut is connected to one end of the vertical tube of the tee as a flexible joint. External threads are provided on the outer wall of the end of the first explosion relief member 3151 that connects to the second explosion relief member 3152. The flexible joint of the second explosion relief member 3152 is threadedly connected to the external threads on the outer wall of the hollow pipe. This flexible joint allows for convenient direct connection to the first explosion relief member 3151. A sealing gasket is provided at the free end of the first explosion relief member 3151 to ensure a sealed connection.
[0315] As can be seen from Figures 28 to 30, the first explosion relief component 3151 of this embodiment is provided with a bending portion, which can also be understood as the present embodiment using a curved pipe as the first explosion relief component 3151, preferably bent downward. When thermal runaway occurs, the thermal runaway material breaks through the explosion relief membrane and enters the first explosion relief component 3151, changing the direction of movement at the bending portion, so that the flow rate of the thermal runaway material when it reaches the transverse section of the tee pipe is reduced, and no excessive impact is generated in the transverse section of the tee pipe, reducing the backwash phenomenon; inevitably, some thermal runaway material will backwash into the hollow pipe fitting, and the blocking of the bending portion can also prevent more thermal runaway material from entering the inner cavity of the shell.
[0316] In other embodiments, a bending portion may be further provided on the vertical pipe section of the tee pipe, and its function is the same as that of the bending portion of the first explosion relief component 3151 in this embodiment.
[0317] As shown in FIG29 , the top plate 3112 of the battery module 31 in this embodiment is provided with an escape hole through which the polarity terminal 3121 of each single battery 312 can extend. The polarity terminal 3121 of each single battery 312 extends out of the corresponding escape hole and the area of the shell 311 around the escape hole is fixedly sealed to the shell of the single battery 312 .
[0318] In this embodiment, a through groove is provided at the portion where the polarity terminal 3121 of the single battery cell 312 extends out of the avoidance hole, serving as a clamping portion for the liquid cooling tube 316; the liquid cooling tube 316 is fixed in the through groove, and when the temperature of the battery module 31 is higher than a set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a lower temperature is passed through the liquid cooling tube 316 to cool the battery module 31; when the temperature of the battery module 31 is lower than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a higher temperature is passed through the liquid cooling tube 316 to heat the battery module 31; by controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, it is ensured that the battery module 31 always operates at a normal operating temperature.
[0319] In order to prevent condensation generated by the liquid cooling tube 316 from causing safety problems, this embodiment can also lay an insulating sealant layer on the top plate 3112 of the outer shell, and part of the area of the polarity terminal 3121 of each single cell 312 is covered by the insulating sealant layer. The electrical connection part (i.e., the upper end face) of the polarity terminal 3121 of each single cell 312 extends out of the insulating sealant layer and is connected to the electrical connector (based on the electrical connector, the single cells 312 can be connected in parallel, or the battery modules 31 can be connected in series); the main part of the liquid cooling tube 316 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the liquid cooling tube 316 extend out of the insulating sealant layer for connection to the liquid cooling equipment.
[0320] Furthermore, since the polarity terminals 3121 are directly exposed to the external environment, there is a significant safety hazard during use due to the polarity terminals 3121 being charged. Therefore, as shown in Figures 30 and 31, this embodiment provides an insulating protective cover 317 on the top of the battery module 31 to provide insulation protection for the polarity terminals 3121. This avoids the potential safety hazard of the polarity terminals 3121 being exposed during operation of the battery module 31, and also prevents foreign matter from falling into the polarity terminals 3121, causing a short circuit in the battery module 31, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 31.
[0321] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 317 completely wraps the polarity terminal 3121, it will make the electrical connection of such battery module 31 more difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, a slit is opened on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 317 parallel to the xz plane, through which the electrical connector can be connected to the polarity terminal 3121, thereby achieving electrical connection.
[0322] It should also be noted that a channel for the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the liquid cooling tube 316 to extend out needs to be provided on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 317 .
[0323] Example 11
[0324] As shown in FIG32 , FIG33 and FIG34 , unlike the embodiment 10, this embodiment provides a bending portion in the transverse pipe section of the tee pipe.
[0325] As can be seen from the figure, the connection portion between the horizontal pipe section of the tee pipe and the vertical pipe section of the tee pipe is bent and bent in a direction away from the vertical pipe section of the tee pipe.
[0326] In this embodiment, a Y-shaped tee can be directly used.
[0327] Thermal runaway materials rush out from the hollow pipe fittings and directly rush to the bending part of the transverse pipe section of the tee pipe, changing the direction of movement in the bending part. Most of the thermal runaway materials flow to the transverse pipe section of the tee pipe, reducing the backwash phenomenon.
[0328] Example 12
[0329] As shown in Figures 35 and 36, it is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery pack of this embodiment, which is composed of 13 battery modules 31 in Example 10 or Example 11. The second explosion relief components 3152 of two adjacent battery modules 31 are connected by a flexible pipe section 32 (see Figures 30 and 34). The free end of the second explosion relief component 3152 of one of the two outermost battery modules 31 is sealed, and the free end of the other battery module 31 is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet of the battery pack.
[0330] In this embodiment, the pipe section connected by the second explosion relief component 3152 and the flexible pipe section 32 is defined as the explosion relief manifold 33 (wherein the second explosion relief component 3152 is a common structure of the explosion relief pipe assembly 315 and the explosion relief manifold 33), and the thermal runaway flue gas is discharged through the thermal runaway flue gas exhaust port.
[0331] As can be seen from Figure 36, when the battery module in Example 11 is used, each flexible pipe segment 32 and the Y-shaped tee connected to its two ends form a semi-circular arc tube. The thermal runaway material rushes out from the hollow pipe and flows to the semi-circular arc tubes on both sides, which can further reduce the backwash phenomenon.
[0332] In order to clearly show the explosion relief manifold 33, Figures 35 and 36 only schematically show the two outermost battery modules 31. In other embodiments, the number of battery modules 31 can be adjusted according to actual needs.
[0333] The flexible pipe section 32 and the second explosion relief member 3152 can be connected by welding or screwing. Welding is more complex than screwing, so screwing is used in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the flexible pipe section 32 is a metal bellows with union nuts at both ends, which is both high-temperature resistant and flexible. To connect with it, external threads are provided on the outer walls of the transverse pipe section of the second explosion relief member 3152 at both ends. The union nuts of the flexible pipe section 32 are threadedly connected to the external threads on the outer wall of the second explosion relief member 3152. To improve the sealing of the connection, a sealing gasket can be provided at the connection.
[0334] In this embodiment, the battery pack can be assembled by the following steps:
[0335] Arrange 13 battery modules 31 in a set direction, then connect the second explosion relief components 3152 of two adjacent battery modules 31 using a flexible pipe section 32, and seal the free end of the second explosion relief component 3152 of the outermost battery module 31 to obtain the battery pack of this embodiment.
[0336] Example 13
[0337] As shown in Figures 37 and 38, there are schematic diagrams of the structure of the battery pack assembly of this embodiment, which includes the battery pack in Example 12 and a battery pack support frame 34 for supporting the battery pack.
[0338] The structure of the battery pack support frame 34 is shown in Figures 38 and 39. It is a rectangular frame. To facilitate the fixing of the battery pack to the battery pack support frame 34, this embodiment designs the battery pack support frame 34 as a split structure, including a U-shaped frame 341 and a first beam 342 fixed to the open end of the U-shaped frame 341. For ease of description, this embodiment splits the U-shaped frame 341 into three parts, which are defined as a second beam 3411 and two third beams 3412 fixed to the ends of the second beam 3411. To improve the structural strength of the entire battery pack support frame 34, the first beam 342 and the second beam 3411 opposite the first beam 342 in this embodiment are made of I-shaped steel, as shown in Figures 39 and 40. The third beam 3412 is made of square steel. In addition, to facilitate the assembly of the battery pack assembly with the container, this embodiment also provides rollers at the bottom of the third beam 3412.
[0339] During assembly, the battery pack is first secured to the U-shaped frame 341. The first beam 342 is then secured to the open end of the U-shaped frame 341 using the connecting plate 343. The explosion venting manifold 33 is then inserted into the inner space between the upper and lower flanges of the first beam 342 (see Figures 37, 38, and 41). This eliminates the need for the explosion venting manifold 33 to occupy additional space, improving the energy density of the battery pack assembly.
[0340] In some other embodiments, an integrated rectangular frame may be used. However, compared with this embodiment, the assembly of the battery pack and the rectangular frame is more difficult.
[0341] In order to prevent the smoke from thermal runaway of single cells in individual battery modules from spreading to the entire container and causing safety problems, Examples 14 to 18 consider using an explosion venting manifold to converge the explosion vents of all battery modules in the battery pack (the explosion venting manifold is provided with an explosion venting membrane and is connected to the inner cavities of all single cells in the battery module or is connected to the explosion vents of all single cells in the battery module). When a single cell in any battery module in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion venting manifold, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and the risk of explosion of the battery module, even the battery pack and the energy storage container.
[0342] To further improve safety, the explosion vent manifold and battery modules should be insulated. Typically, PTFE tubing, with its superior insulation properties, is used to connect the explosion vent manifold to the explosion vent ports of each battery module. However, in actual use, it has been found that PTFE tubing deforms as the thermal runaway temperature rises, making it impossible to ensure the seal at that location. This allows thermal runaway smoke to leak from that location and spread throughout the container. More seriously, the PTFE tubing melts at high temperatures and can block the explosion vent ports or the explosion vent manifold, causing even more serious safety incidents.
[0343] Based on this, Examples 14 to 18 provide a venting tube assembly, in which a high-temperature resistant insulating tube is introduced. The high temperature here refers to the maximum temperature of the thermal runaway flue gas. To facilitate the connection of the venting tube assembly to the battery module venting port and the venting manifold, Examples 14 to 18 connect metal tubes at both ends of the high-temperature resistant insulating tube. In other words, the venting tube assembly of Examples 14 to 18 consists of three parts. For ease of description, the three parts can be defined as a first tube segment, a second tube segment, and a third tube segment, respectively. The first tube segment is a metal tube for sealingly connecting to the battery module venting port; the second tube segment is a high-temperature resistant insulating tube; and the third tube segment is a metal tube for connecting to the venting manifold.
[0344] It should be noted that:
[0345] 1. The explosion venting tube assemblies of Examples 14 to 18 can be applied to battery modules of various structures, for example, the battery modules disclosed in Chinese patents CN117477186A, CN117477063A, and CN115275453A.
[0346] Such battery modules include a plurality of single cells and a shared chamber connected to the inner cavities of each single cell (the shared chamber herein is the first hollow member or the second hollow member described in CN117477186A, the hollow member described in CN117477063A, and the electrolyte shared channel described in CN115275453A);
[0347] In Examples 14 to 18, one end of the shared chamber is used as the explosion vent of the battery module and is sealed to the first pipe section of the explosion vent pipe assembly.
[0348] The explosion venting tube assembly of Examples 14 to 18 can also be applied to the battery module disclosed in Chinese patent CN220324596U. Such a battery module includes a shell and a plurality of single cells arranged in the shell; the inner cavity of each single cell is connected to the inner cavity of the shell; an explosion vent is provided on the shell, and Examples 14 to 18 seal the first pipe section of the explosion venting tube assembly with the explosion vent.
[0349] 2. The explosion vent tube assemblies of Examples 14 to 18 can also be applied to single cells and connected to the explosion vents of the single cells; for example, they can be used as explosion vent tubes in the battery disclosed in Chinese patent CN113725552A to connect the explosion vents of each single cell with the explosion vent manifold.
[0350] The following embodiments are mainly described by taking different battery modules as examples.
[0351] Examples 14 to 18 also provide a battery module, including a battery module and the above-mentioned explosion-proof tube assembly sealed and connected to the explosion-proof port of the battery module.
[0352] Examples 14 to 18 also provide a battery pack including the above-mentioned battery module, including a battery pack support frame, an explosion-proof manifold, and a plurality of the above-mentioned battery modules fixed on the battery pack support frame; the third tube section of the explosion-proof tube assembly in each battery module is sealed and connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
[0353] The following further describes Examples 14 to 18 with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0354] Example 14
[0355] This embodiment is an explosion relief pipe assembly 41, the structure of which is shown in Figures 42 and 43. It is mainly composed of three pipe sections. From left to right in the figure, the three pipe sections can be defined as a first pipe section 411, a second pipe section 412, and a third pipe section 413.
[0356] The first tube section 411 is a metal tube for sealingly connecting to the battery vent. It is typically made of aluminum, the same material as the battery housing, but can also be made of other metals, such as stainless steel. The sealing connection to the battery vent can be achieved by welding, threading, or interference fit.
[0357] The second pipe section 412 is a high temperature resistant insulating pipe, at least part of which should be made of insulating material. It mainly serves as an insulator to insulate the explosion relief manifold from each battery (the battery here is a battery module or a single battery).
[0358] It should be noted that at least part of its structure should be made of insulating material, mainly including the following two structures:
[0359] 1. The entire structure of the second pipe section 412 is made of insulating material;
[0360] 2. The main structure of the second pipe section 412 can be a metal pipe, the entire surface of which is coated with a film layer made of insulating material.
[0361] After thermal runaway occurs, the battery temperature rises sharply, reaching over 500°C. If the selected insulation material cannot be stable at this temperature, the following problems will occur:
[0362] a. When the entire structure of the second pipe section 412 is made of such insulating material, the sealing of the connection between the second pipe section 412 and the first and third pipe sections 411 and 413 cannot be guaranteed, causing the thermal runaway flue gas to leak. More seriously, if the second pipe section 412 becomes molten due to high temperature, it will block the explosion vent or the explosion vent manifold, causing a more serious safety accident.
[0363] b. When the entire surface of the second pipe segment 412 is coated with a film layer made of an insulating material, when the film layer melts or deforms, thermal runaway flue gas may leak from the connection between the second pipe segment 412 and the first pipe segment 411 and the third pipe segment 413, and the insulation performance of the second pipe segment 412 may be damaged.
[0364] Based on the above problems, the insulating materials selected in Examples 14 to 18 should also have certain high temperature resistance to ensure that their performance does not change when thermal runaway occurs and they can exist stably.
[0365] Common high-temperature resistant insulating materials are ceramic materials. In this embodiment, ceramic pipes are directly selected as the second pipe section 412, which is relatively simple in cost and processing. For example, ceramic materials such as cubic boron nitride, hexagonal boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide can be selected.
[0366] In other embodiments, a high-temperature resistant insulating coating may be sprayed on the surface of the metal pipe to form the second pipe section 412. The high-temperature resistant insulating coating may be a phosphate-based inorganic binder coating, a plasma-sprayed Al2O3 coating, etc. However, the cost and processing are more complicated than in this embodiment.
[0367] The third tube section 413 is a metal tube used to connect to the explosion vent manifold. Its material can be the same as that of the first tube section 411, typically aluminum, the same material as the battery housing, but other metals are also possible. A sealed connection to the explosion vent manifold can be achieved through welding, threading, or interference fit.
[0368] As can be seen in Figure 43, the second pipe section 412, first pipe section 411, and third pipe section 413 of this embodiment are all connected using a sleeve joint, with a stepped structure provided at the sleeve joint to improve the sealing performance of the sleeve joint. Conventional ceramic-metal joining methods can be used to achieve a sealed connection at the sleeve joint. For example, adhesive bonding, brazing, solid-phase diffusion bonding, and other methods can be used.
[0369] Example 15
[0370] This embodiment is a battery module having the explosion venting tube assembly 41 in Example 14. The specific structure is shown in Figure 44, which includes a battery module 42 and the explosion venting tube assembly 41 in Example 14.
[0371] The battery module 42 includes a plurality of single cells 422 and a shared chamber 421 that is connected to the inner cavities of each single cell 422 .
[0372] It should be noted that:
[0373] 1. The shared chamber 421 can be an electrolyte shared chamber (the shared chamber 421 located at the bottom of each cell 422 in FIG. 44 ). This shared electrolyte chamber allows each cell 422 to be in a uniform electrolyte environment, ensuring electrolyte uniformity within each cell 422 and improving battery pack performance and charge-discharge cycle life. The shared chamber 421 can also be a gas shared chamber (the shared chamber 421 located at the top of each cell 422 in FIG. 44 ). This shared gas chamber achieves gas balance within each cell 422, also improving battery pack performance and charge-discharge cycle life. The shared chamber 421 can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber (see Chinese Patent CN117477063A). This shared gas-liquid chamber allows each cell 422 to be in a uniform electrolyte and gas environment, improving battery pack performance and charge-discharge cycle life.
[0374] 2. The above-mentioned single battery 422 is a square shell battery, including an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate, a cylinder, a battery core assembly and an electrolyte; the upper cover plate or the lower cover plate and the cylinder can be integrally formed;
[0375] In Examples 14 through 18, the cell assembly described herein can be referred to as an electrode assembly, which consists of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode arranged in sequence, assembled using a lamination or winding process. The upper cover, the cylindrical body, and the lower cover form the housing of the single cell 422. The cell assembly and electrolyte are located within the housing of the single cell 422, which communicates with the shared chamber 421 through an opening in the housing.
[0376] In Examples 14 to 18, the battery cell assembly described herein may also be a commercially available square shell battery with a through hole, which is connected to the inner cavity of the shared chamber 421 through the through hole and the opening on the shell.
[0377] As can be seen from Figure 44, this embodiment provides an explosion vent at one end of the electrolyte shared chamber, and the explosion vent pipe assembly 41 is connected to the explosion vent. Specifically, the first pipe section 411 of the explosion vent pipe assembly 41 can be welded to one end of the electrolyte shared chamber and connected to the explosion vent.
[0378] Example 16
[0379] This embodiment is another battery module having the explosion venting tube assembly 41 in Example 14. The specific structure is shown in Figures 45 and 46, including a battery module 42 and the explosion venting tube assembly 41 in Example 14.
[0380] The battery module 42 of this embodiment includes a housing 423 and a plurality of single batteries 422 arranged in parallel within the housing 423 .
[0381] The single cells 422 in this embodiment are square-shell batteries, and there are 13 of them. In other embodiments, the number can be adjusted according to actual needs. The inner cavity of each single cell 422 includes an electrolyte area and a gas area.
[0382] The inner cavity of the housing 423 is connected to the inner cavities of each single battery 422. The above-mentioned connection effect can be achieved by providing a shared cavity 421 in the housing 423 so that the inner cavity of the shared cavity 421 is connected to the inner cavities of all single batteries 422.
[0383] For the convenience of description, in this embodiment, the length direction of the housing 423 is defined as the x direction, the width direction of the housing 423 is defined as the y direction, and the height direction of the housing 423 is defined as the z direction.
[0384] As shown in FIG46 , an electrolyte sharing chamber (the shared chamber 421 located at the bottom of each single cell 422 in FIG46 ) is provided along the x direction on the bottom plate 4231 of the outer shell, and the inner cavity of the electrolyte sharing chamber is connected to the inner cavity electrolyte area of each single cell 422 .
[0385] On the top plate 4233 of the housing, a gas sharing chamber (the shared chamber 421 located on the top of each single battery 422 in Figure 46) is provided along the x direction, and the inner cavity of the gas sharing chamber is connected to the inner gas area of each single battery 422.
[0386] In some other embodiments, only an electrolyte sharing chamber or a gas sharing chamber may be provided, or a gas-liquid sharing chamber may be provided along the x-direction on the first side plate of the shell 423 (the side plate parallel to the xz plane), and the inner cavity of the gas-liquid sharing chamber is connected to the electrolyte area and gas area of the inner cavity of each single cell 422.
[0387] A through hole is provided on the end plate 4232 of the housing 423 (a side plate parallel to the yz plane) that connects to the shared electrolyte chamber. A venting tube 43 is connected to the through hole. A venting membrane is fixed inside the venting tube 43 (serving as a venting port for the battery module 42). The venting tube assembly 41 is connected to the venting tube 43. Specifically, the first tube section 411 of the venting tube assembly 41 is sealedly connected to the venting tube 43 via a threaded connection.
[0388] In some other embodiments, the explosion-proof membrane can be directly fixed in the through hole of the end plate 4232 of the shell 423 as the explosion-proof port of the battery module 42, and the first tube section 411 of the explosion-proof tube assembly 41 is welded to the end plate 4232 of the shell 423 and connected to the explosion-proof port.
[0389] As shown in Figures 45 and 46, the top plate 4233 of the battery pack shell of this embodiment is provided with avoidance holes that allow the polarity terminals 4221 of each single battery 422 to extend out; the polarity terminals 4221 of each single battery 422 extend out of the corresponding avoidance holes and the area of the shell 423 around the avoidance holes is fixedly sealed with the shell of the single battery 422.
[0390] It should be noted that the polarity terminal 4221 of the single cell battery 422 described here can be the pole of the single cell battery 422. In order to avoid the pole of the single cell battery 422 from being unable to smoothly extend out of the avoidance hole as the polarity terminal 4221, a pole adapter can also be connected to the pole of the single cell battery 422, and the overall structure of the pole of the single cell battery 422 and the pole adapter can be used as the polarity terminal 4221 of the single cell battery 422.
[0391] In this embodiment, the overall structure of the single battery 422 pole and the pole adapter is used as the polarity terminal 4221 of the single battery 422.
[0392] In this embodiment, a through groove is provided at the portion where the polarity terminal 4221 of the single battery cell 422 extends out of the avoidance hole, serving as a clamping portion for the liquid cooling tube 44; the liquid cooling tube 44 is fixed in the through groove, and when the temperature of the battery module 42 is higher than a set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a lower temperature is passed through the liquid cooling tube 44 to cool the battery module 42; when the temperature of the battery module 42 is lower than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a higher temperature is passed through the liquid cooling tube 44 to heat the battery module 42; by controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, it is ensured that the battery module 42 always operates at a normal operating temperature.
[0393] In order to prevent condensation generated by the liquid cooling tube 44 from causing safety problems, this embodiment can also lay an insulating sealant layer on the top plate 4233 of the outer shell, and part of the area of the polarity terminal 4221 of each single cell 422 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the electrical connection part (i.e., the upper end face) of the polarity terminal 4221 of each single cell 422 extends out of the insulating sealant layer and is connected to the electrical connector (based on the electrical connector, the parallel connection of each single cell 422 or the series connection of multiple battery modules 42 can be achieved); the main part of the liquid cooling tube 44 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the liquid cooling tube 44 extend out of the insulating sealant layer for connection to the liquid cooling equipment.
[0394] Furthermore, since the polarity terminals 4221 are directly exposed to the external environment, there is a significant safety hazard during use due to the polarity terminals 4221 being charged. Based on this, as shown in Figures 47 and 48, this embodiment provides an insulating protective cover 45 on the top of the battery module 42 to provide insulation protection for the polarity terminals 4221, avoiding the potential safety hazard of the polarity terminals 4221 being exposed during operation of the battery module 42. It also prevents foreign matter from falling into the polarity terminals 4221 and causing a short circuit in the battery module 42, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 42.
[0395] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 45 completely wraps the polarity terminal 4221, it will make the electrical connection of such battery module 42 more difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, a slit is opened on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 45 parallel to the xz plane, through which the electrical connector can be connected to the polarity terminal 4221, thereby achieving electrical connection.
[0396] It should also be noted that a channel for the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the liquid cooling tube 44 to extend out needs to be provided on the side wall of the insulating protective cover 45 .
[0397] Example 17
[0398] This embodiment is a battery pack, the structure of which is shown in Figure 49, including a battery pack support frame 46 and multiple battery modules in the above embodiments fixed on the battery pack support frame 46; this embodiment takes the battery module in Example 16 as an example (Figure 49 only schematically shows one of the battery modules).
[0399] As can be seen from Figure 49, the battery pack support frame 46 of this embodiment is a rectangular frame structure, which is surrounded by four side beams. In order to improve the energy density of the battery pack, one of the side beams of the battery pack support frame 46 of this embodiment is a hollow member (hollow tube), and a plurality of branch pipes 471 corresponding to the battery modules 42 are fixed thereon, and each branch pipe 471 can be fixed to the hollow member by screw connection, welding or integral molding. The side beam is used as an explosion-proof manifold 47. When the battery module is fixed on the battery pack support frame 46, each branch pipe 471 is sealed with the third pipe section 413 of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 41 in the corresponding battery module, and the sealing connection can be achieved by interference fit.
[0400] Example 18
[0401] This embodiment is another type of battery pack, and its structure is shown in Figure 50. Different from Example 17, one side beam of the battery pack support frame 46 of this embodiment is an I-shaped steel. The space between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel can be used as an accommodation space for the explosion-proof manifold 47, so that the explosion-proof manifold 47 does not need to occupy additional space, and the energy density of the battery pack can also be improved.
[0402] As shown in Figure 51, the explosion-proof manifold 47 in this embodiment includes a plurality of three-way pipes 472 corresponding to each battery module, and a flexible pipe section 473 connected between two three-way pipes 472; the first interface of each three-way pipe 472 is sealedly connected to the third pipe section 413 of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 41 in the corresponding battery module, and the sealed connection can be achieved by screwing.
[0403] As shown in Figure 52, in order to facilitate the fixation of the battery module on the battery pack support frame 46, the battery pack support frame 46 in this embodiment is designed as a split structure, including a U-shaped frame 462 and an I-shaped steel side beam 461 fixed to the open end of the U-shaped frame 462.
[0404] During assembly, first, each tee is fixed to the corresponding third pipe section 413. Then, multiple battery modules with tees are arranged in a set direction. After that, two adjacent tees are connected using a flexible pipe section. Next, the multiple battery modules with explosion-proof manifolds are fixed to the U-shaped frame 462. After that, the I-shaped steel side beam 461 is fixed to the open end of the U-shaped frame 462, and the explosion-proof manifold 47 is embedded in the inner space between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel side beam 461 (the area shown in Figure 52, a). This eliminates the need for the explosion-proof manifold 47 to occupy additional space, thereby improving the energy density of the battery pack.
[0405] Since the explosion-proof manifolds in Examples 14 to 18 are spliced and the middle connecting pipe section is a flexible pipe section, the deformation of the flexible pipe section can compensate for the spacing deviation of the explosion-proof battery modules, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold.
[0406] In order to prevent the thermal runaway smoke of single cells in individual battery modules from spreading to the entire container and causing safety problems, Examples 19 to 21 use an explosion venting manifold to converge the thermal runaway smoke of all battery modules in the battery pack. When a single cell in any battery module in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion venting manifold, reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and the risk of combustion or explosion of the battery module or even the battery pack.
[0407] In order to further improve the safety of battery module use, the connection between the explosion venting manifold and the battery module needs to ensure sealing and insulation. Based on this, Examples 19 to 21 provide an explosion venting pipe assembly, which realizes a reliable sealed and insulated connection between the battery module and the explosion venting manifold, so that the thermal runaway flue gas of all battery modules in the battery pack can be converged using the explosion venting manifold.
[0408] The above-mentioned explosion-proof tube assembly can be applicable to battery modules of various structures, for example, it can be applicable to the battery modules disclosed in Chinese patents CN117477186A, CN117477063A, and CN115275453A; such battery modules include multiple single cells and a shared chamber connected to the inner cavity of each single cell (the shared chamber described here is the first hollow member or the second hollow member described in CN117477186A, the hollow member described in CN117477063A, and the electrolyte shared channel described in CN115275453A); Examples 19 to 21 use one end of the above-mentioned shared chamber as a battery module explosion-proof port and connect it to the explosion-proof tube assembly.
[0409] The above-mentioned explosion-proof tube assembly can also be applied to the battery module disclosed in Chinese patent CN220324596U. This type of battery module includes a shell and multiple single cells arranged in the shell; the inner cavity of each single cell is connected to the inner cavity of the shell; an explosion-proof port is provided on the shell, and Examples 19 to 21 seal the explosion-proof tube assembly with the explosion-proof port.
[0410] The above-mentioned explosion venting tube assembly can also be applied to single cells and connected to the explosion venting ports of the single cells; for example, it can be used as the explosion venting tube in the battery disclosed in Chinese patent CN113725552A to connect the explosion venting ports of each single cell with the explosion venting manifold.
[0411] The structure of the explosion relief tube assembly is described in detail below by taking a battery module including a housing and a plurality of single batteries arranged in the housing as an example.
[0412] Example 19
[0413] As shown in Figures 53 to 55, this embodiment provides a venting pipe assembly, which mainly realizes the connection between the battery module and the venting manifold to achieve the directional discharge of thermal runaway smoke in the battery module. The venting pipe assembly 52 includes a first connecting pipe 521, a second connecting pipe 522, and a connecting assembly; the first connecting pipe 521 is used to be sealed and connected to the venting port 5114 of the battery module 51, and the first connecting pipe 521 is provided with a venting membrane 5211, and the second connecting pipe 522 is used to connect to the venting manifold 53. The connecting assembly realizes the connection between the first connecting pipe 521 and the second connecting pipe 522. The connecting assembly is similar to the structure of a ferrule connector and is used to achieve a fast, reliable, sealed and insulated connection between the battery module 51 and the venting manifold 53.
[0414] The first connecting tube 521 is a straight metal tube used for sealingly connecting to the explosion vent 5114 of the battery module 51. It is typically made of the same aluminum metal as the battery module 51 housing 511, but can also be made of other metals, such as stainless steel. The sealing connection to the explosion vent 5114 of the battery module 51 can be achieved by welding, threading, or interference fit. After connection, the first connecting tube 521 must be in communication with the interior of the battery module 51 housing 511.
[0415] During the specific connection, as shown in Figures 53 and 54, the first connecting tube 521 is provided with an annular limiting boss 5212, which is embedded in the explosion vent 5114 of the battery module 51 to secure the first connecting tube 521. This connection method can achieve accurate installation of the first connecting tube 521 and also facilitates sealing at the connection between the first connecting tube 521 and the battery module 51.
[0416] As shown in FIG54 , an explosion-venting membrane 5211 is installed in the first connecting tube 521. The explosion-venting membrane 5211 can be made of a plastic sheet or a metal sheet. If a plastic sheet is used, the explosion-venting membrane 5211 needs to be fixed to the first connecting tube 521 by bonding. However, due to the insufficient pressure-bearing capacity of the bonding method, an accidental explosion may occur. Therefore, in this embodiment, the explosion-venting membrane 5211 is made of a metal sheet and fixed to the first connecting tube 521 by welding. To facilitate welding, the explosion-venting membrane 5211 is preferably made of an aluminum sheet. To facilitate welding of the explosion-venting membrane 5211, in this embodiment, the explosion-venting membrane 5211 is welded to a side port of the first connecting tube 521 away from the explosion-venting port 5114 of the battery module 51. In addition, in order to further ensure that the explosion-venting membrane 5211 can rupture and release pressure under the action of thermal runaway flue gas pressure, the middle area of the explosion-venting membrane 5211 is provided with an annular groove to form a weak explosion-venting area. The setting of the annular groove can effectively ensure that the weak explosion-venting area can be broken when the pressure increases to 0.6Mpa to 0.8Mpa.
[0417] The second connecting pipe 522 is used to connect to the explosion venting manifold 53, which realizes the convergence of thermal runaway flue gas from multiple battery modules 51. The second connecting pipe 522 can specifically adopt the following structure:
[0418] First, as shown in FIG55 , the second connecting pipe 522 is a three-way pipe, the first interface of which is sealedly connected to the pipe seat 523, and the second interface and the third interface are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion venting manifold;
[0419] The second connecting pipe 522 is a tee pipe, which uses a flexible pipe section to connect the tees of adjacent battery modules 51 to form an explosion-proof manifold 53. The installation accuracy requirements for the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52 of each battery module 51 are relatively low. The deformation of the flexible pipe section 531 can compensate for the installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 53.
[0420] Second, as shown in Figures 53 and 54, the second connecting pipe 522 is a flexible hollow pipe fitting, one end of which is sealedly connected to the pipe seat 523, and the other end is used to connect to the explosion venting manifold 53. During the specific connection, the second connecting pipe 522 can be fixed to the explosion venting manifold 53 by welding or threaded connection. The flexible hollow pipe fitting is a bellows, which can be a metal bellows or a plastic bellows, but such bellows must meet at least the following two requirements: 1. High temperature resistance (thermal runaway flue gas temperature), that is, when thermal runaway occurs, the bellows cannot be deformed; 2. Corrosion resistance, that is, when thermal runaway occurs, it cannot be corroded or deformed due to contact with thermal runaway flue gas or thermal runaway emissions.
[0421] The second connecting tube 522 is a flexible hollow tube that is connected to the non-spliced, full-length explosion-proof manifold 53. This reduces the installation precision requirements for the explosion-proof tube assembly 52 of each battery module 51. The deformation of the flexible hollow tube compensates for installation deviations of the explosion-proof tube assembly 52, reducing the difficulty of installation between the explosion-proof tube assembly 52 and the explosion-proof manifold 53. Furthermore, the use of a non-spliced, full-length explosion-proof manifold 53 reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent.
[0422] The first connecting pipe 521 and the second connecting pipe 522 are sealed and insulated by a connecting assembly. After the connection, the first connecting pipe 521 and the second connecting pipe 522 are insulated from each other, and the sealing performance of the first connecting pipe 521 and the second connecting pipe 522 is good.
[0423] As shown in Figure 54, the connection assembly in this embodiment includes a tube seat 523, an insulating sleeve 524, a seal 525 and a locking nut 526; the tube seat 523 is fixed to the end of the second connecting tube 522, and is provided with a through hole inside and an external thread on the outer wall; the insulating sleeve 524 is sleeved on the first connecting tube 521; the locking nut 526 has a first step hole inside, and the large hole of the first step hole is a threaded hole; the locking nut 526 and the tube seat 523 are sleeved on the insulating sleeve 524, and the locking nut 526 is threadedly connected to the tube seat 523; the seal 525 is sleeved on the insulating sleeve 524, and is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut 526 and the end face of the tube seat 523, so as to realize the seal between the tube seat 523 and the locking nut 526.
[0424] The pipe seat 523 is connected to the second connecting pipe 522 , and can be fixed to the end of the second connecting pipe 522 by welding, threaded connection or the like.
[0425] The insulating sleeve 524 is mounted on the first connecting pipe 521 and primarily insulates the second connecting pipe 522 from the second connecting pipe 522. Since thermal runaway flue gas has a relatively high temperature and may contain corrosive gases or molten impurities, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve needs to be made of a high-temperature and corrosion-resistant material.
[0426] In this embodiment, the insulating sleeve 524 can be made of perfluoroelastomer (FUE). FUE is generally suitable for continuous temperatures between 260°C and 290°C, can withstand long-term use at 316°C, and can even withstand short-term use at high temperatures up to 360°C. Furthermore, at room temperature, the insulation resistance of FUE is generally above 10^13Ω, a value not achieved by other high-temperature rubber materials. Furthermore, the insulation resistance of FUE increases with increasing temperature and can maintain a certain insulation resistance even at high temperatures.
[0427] The above-mentioned seal 525 mainly realizes the sealing of the locking nut 526 and the tube seat 523. It can specifically adopt a sealing ring structure such as an O-ring. After installation, the seal 525 is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut 526 and the end face of the tube seat 523, thereby realizing sealing.
[0428] As shown in FIG54 , the seal 525 in this embodiment includes a first sealing ring 5251 and a second sealing ring 5252 arranged axially. The first sealing ring 5251 contacts the stepped surface of the locking nut 526 to form a first conical seal 5253. The second sealing ring 5252 contacts the end surface of the tube base 523 to form a second conical seal 5254. The first sealing ring 5251 and the second sealing ring 5252 contact each other to form a third conical seal 5255. The first conical seal 5253, the second conical seal 5254, and the third conical seal 5255 have different mating angles. The first sealing ring 5251 and the second sealing ring 5252 form three conical seals, significantly improving the sealing performance between the tube base 523 and the locking nut 526, ensuring the safety of the battery module 51 during use.
[0429] In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 54 , the end of the insulating sleeve 524 near the second connecting tube 522 is provided with an inwardly directed annular inner rib 5241. The through-hole in the tube base 523 is a second stepped hole. The annular inner rib 5241 is squeezed by the end face of the first connecting tube 521 and the stepped surface of the second stepped hole, achieving a seal between the tube base 523 and the first connecting tube 521. The inner diameter of the annular inner rib 5241 is smaller than the inner diameter of the first connecting tube 521 and also smaller than the aperture size of the second stepped hole. The annular inner rib 5241 of the insulating sleeve 524 is squeezed by the end face of the first connecting tube 521 and the stepped surface of the second stepped hole of the tube base 523, achieving a seal between the tube base 523 and the first connecting tube 521. This connection method provides an additional seal, improving the sealing between the first connecting tube 521 and the second connecting tube 522, and further ensuring the reliability of the connection between the first connecting tube 521 and the second connecting tube 522.
[0430] At the same time, the inner diameter of the annular inner rib 5241 is smaller than the inner tube diameter of the first connecting tube 521, and is also smaller than the small hole size of the second step hole, so that the insulating sleeve 524 completely covers the end of the first connecting tube 521, thereby improving the insulation performance between the first connecting tube 521 and the second connecting tube 522.
[0431] In addition, an outward annular outer rib 5242 is provided at the end of the insulating sleeve 524 close to the outer shell 511 . The annular outer rib 5242 is used to abut against the outer shell 511 of the battery module 51 , further improving the insulation performance of the insulating sleeve 524 .
[0432] When the above-mentioned connecting components are connected, the tube seat 523 is fixed on the second connecting tube 522, the insulating sleeve 524 is put on the first connecting tube 521, and the locking nut 526 and the tube seat 523 are put on the upper insulating sleeve 524; finally, the locking nut 526 and the tube seat 523 are threadedly connected, and the locking nut 526 is rotated. The seal 525 is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut 526 and the end face of the tube seat 523, thereby realizing the seal between the first connecting tube 521 and the second connecting tube 522.
[0433] Example 20
[0434] As shown in Figures 56 to 59, this embodiment provides a battery module. The battery module 51 includes a housing 511 and a plurality of single cells 512 arranged in the same direction and placed within the housing 511. The single cells 512 in this embodiment are prismatic cells, and the number of cells can be adjusted according to actual needs. The internal cavity of each single cell 512 includes an electrolyte region and a gas region. After multiple single cells 512 are arranged in the same direction and placed in the outer shell 511, avoidance holes 5113 are opened on the top plate of the outer shell 511 corresponding to the polarity terminals 513 of each single cell 512. The polarity terminals 513 of each single cell 512 extend out of the corresponding avoidance holes 5113 to serve as the polarity terminals 513 of the battery module 51 (the polarity terminals 513 of all single cells 512 on one side serve as the positive polarity terminals of the battery module 51, and the polarity terminals 513 of all single cells 512 on the other side serve as the negative polarity terminals of the battery module 51). The top plate area of the outer shell 511 corresponding to the avoidance holes 5113 is fixedly sealed to the shell of the single cell 512.
[0435] It should be noted that the polarity terminal 513 of the single cell 512 here can be the pole of the single cell 512. In order to avoid the pole of the single cell 512 from being unable to smoothly extend out of the avoidance hole 5113 as a polarity terminal, a pole adapter can also be connected to the pole of the single cell 512, and the overall structure of the pole of the single cell 512 and the pole adapter can be used as the polarity terminal 513 of the single cell 512.
[0436] As shown in FIG58 , the inner cavity of the shell 511 is connected to the inner cavities of each single cell 512 . The above-mentioned connection effect can be achieved by providing a shared cavity in the shell 511 so that the inner cavity of the shared cavity is connected to the inner cavities of all single cells 512 .
[0437] The shared chamber can be a shared electrolyte chamber 5112. The inner cavity of the shared electrolyte chamber 5112 communicates with the electrolyte areas within all the individual cells 512. The shared electrolyte chamber 5112 provides each individual cell 512 with a uniform electrolyte environment, ensuring the uniformity of the electrolyte within each individual cell 512 and improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 51. In this embodiment, the shared electrolyte chamber 5112 is a liquid channel disposed between the bottom plate of the housing 511 and the bottom of each individual cell 512.
[0438] The shared chamber can also be a gas-sharing chamber 5111. The inner cavity of the gas-sharing chamber 5111 communicates with the gas areas within the inner cavities of all the individual cells 512. This gas-sharing chamber 5111 achieves gas balance within each individual cell 512, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 51. In this embodiment, the gas-sharing chamber 5111 is a gas passage provided on the top plate of the outer shell 511. In this case, the top plate of the outer shell 511 is provided with a protrusion extending along the arrangement direction of the individual cells 512, forming a gas passage at the protrusion.
[0439] The above-mentioned shared chamber can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. The inner cavity of the gas-liquid shared chamber is connected to the electrolyte area and gas area of the inner cavity of all single cells 512. Through a gas-liquid shared chamber, each single cell 512 can be placed in a unified electrolyte environment and gas environment, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 51.
[0440] As shown in FIG58 , in this embodiment, a through groove 5131 is provided at the portion where the polarity terminal 513 of the single battery 512 extends out of the avoidance hole 5113, and a heat transfer tube 516 is fixed in the through groove 5131. When the temperature of the battery module 51 is higher than a set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a lower temperature is introduced into the heat transfer tube 516 to cool the battery module 51; when the temperature of the battery module 51 is lower than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a higher temperature is introduced into the heat transfer tube 516 to heat the battery module 51; by controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, it is ensured that the battery module 51 always operates at a normal operating temperature.
[0441] As shown in FIG59 , in order to prevent condensation generated by the heat transfer tube 516 from causing safety problems, this embodiment can also lay an insulating sealant layer 514 on the top plate of the outer shell 511. Part of the polarity terminal 513 of each single battery 512 is covered by the insulating sealant layer 514, and the electrical connection part (i.e., the upper end surface) of the polarity terminal 513 of each single battery 512 extends out of the insulating sealant layer 514 and is connected to the electrical connector (based on the electrical connector, the single batteries 512 can be connected in parallel or multiple battery modules 51 can be connected in series); the main part of the heat transfer tube 516 is covered by the insulating sealant layer 514, and the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tube 516 extend out of the insulating sealant layer 514 for connection to the liquid cooling equipment.
[0442] The polarity terminals 513 are directly exposed to the external environment, posing a significant safety hazard during use due to the electrical charge on the polarity terminals 513. Therefore, an insulating protective cover 515 is provided on top of the battery module 51 to provide insulation protection for the polarity terminals 513. This avoids the potential safety hazard of the polarity terminals 513 being exposed during operation, and also prevents foreign matter from falling into the polarity terminals 513 and causing a short circuit in the battery module 51, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 51.
[0443] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 515 completely encloses the polarity terminals 513, electrical connection of the battery module 51 would be difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, slits are provided in the sidewalls of the insulating protective cover 515. Through these slits, the electrical connectors can connect to the polarity terminals 513, thereby achieving electrical connection. It should also be noted that the sidewalls of the insulating protective cover 515 also need to provide passages for the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tubes 516 to extend.
[0444] As shown in Figures 56 and 57 , to direct thermal runaway fumes from the housing 511 of the battery module 51, this embodiment provides an explosion vent 5114 in communication with the interior of the housing 511. Typically, the explosion vent 5114 is connected to the shared chamber. The explosion vent 5114 is connected to the explosion vent pipe assembly 52 of Example 19. This explosion vent pipe assembly 52 directs the thermal runaway fumes generated by thermal runaway of any single cell 512 in the battery module 51 to the explosion vent manifold 53, thereby preventing the battery module 51 from burning or exploding.
[0445] Example 21
[0446] As shown in Figures 61 and 62, this embodiment provides a battery pack, which includes at least two battery modules 51 in Example 20. In order to prevent the thermal runaway smoke of the single battery 512 in an individual battery module 51 from spreading to the entire container and causing safety hazards, this embodiment connects the explosion venting pipe assemblies 52 of all battery modules 51 in the battery pack using an explosion venting manifold 53. After connection, one end of the explosion venting manifold 53 is sealed and the other end is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust port of the battery pack. When a single battery 512 in any battery module 51 in the battery pack undergoes thermal runaway, the thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion venting manifold 53, reducing the risk of combustion or explosion of the battery module 51 and the battery pack.
[0447] When the explosion relief manifold 53 is connected to the explosion relief pipe assembly 52, the following structure can be specifically adopted:
[0448] First, the explosion relief manifold 53 is a spliced structure, which is suitable for the structure in which the second connecting pipe 522 is a tee pipe;
[0449] As shown in Figures 60 and 61, the second connecting pipes 522 of adjacent battery modules 51 are connected through flexible pipe sections 531 to form explosion-proof manifolds 53. The second connecting pipe 522 is a three-way pipe, including a horizontal pipe and a vertical pipe section, wherein the vertical pipe section is fixedly connected to the pipe seat 523, that is, the first interface of the three-way pipe is sealed with the pipe seat 523, and the horizontal pipe section is respectively connected to the two ends of the flexible pipe section 531 by welding or screwing, that is, the second interface and the third interface are respectively connected to the flexible pipe section 531. The flexible pipe section 531 can specifically be a metal bellows, which is resistant to high temperatures and has a certain degree of flexibility. After the explosion-proof manifold 53 is formed by the flexible pipe section 531, the installation accuracy requirements for the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52 of each battery module 51 are relatively small. The deformation of the flexible pipe section 531 can compensate for the installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 53. The assembly process of the explosion-proof manifold 53 and the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52 of this structure is as follows:
[0450] First, each pipe seat 523 is fixedly connected to the first interface of each second connecting pipe 522. Then, the horizontal pipe section of the second connecting pipe 522 is connected to the two ends of the flexible pipe section 531 by welding or screwing.
[0451] Next, put the insulating sleeve 524 onto the first connecting pipe 521 , and then put the locking nut 526 and the pipe base 523 onto the upper insulating sleeve 524 ;
[0452] Finally, the locking nut 526 is threadedly connected to the tube seat 523, and the locking nut 526 is continued to be rotated. The seal 525 is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut 526 and the end face of the tube seat 523, thereby achieving sealing between the tube seat 523 and the locking nut 526.
[0453] In the above-mentioned spliced explosion-proof manifold 53, part of the pipe section of the explosion-proof manifold 53 is a flexible pipe section 531. The deformation of the flexible pipe section 531 can compensate for the installation error of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52 and the spacing deviation of the battery modules 51, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 53.
[0454] Second, the explosion relief manifold 53 is a whole pipe structure, which is suitable for the structure where the second connecting pipe 522 is a flexible hollow pipe;
[0455] As shown in Figure 62, the explosion-proof manifold 53 includes a main pipe 532 and multiple branch pipes 533 arranged on the main pipe 532; the multiple branch pipes 533 are connected one-to-one with the flexible hollow pipe fittings in each battery module 51, and the flexible hollow pipe fittings and the branch pipes 533 of the explosion-proof manifold 53 can be connected by welding or screwing.
[0456] When assembling the explosion-proof manifold 53 of this structure with the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52, first, each pipe seat 523 is fixedly connected to one end of each second connecting pipe 522, and then, the other ends of the multiple second connecting pipes 522 are respectively connected to the multiple branch pipes 533 on the main pipe 532 in a one-to-one correspondence; secondly, the insulating sleeve 524 is put on the first connecting pipe 521, and the locking nut 526 and the pipe seat 523 are put on the upper insulating sleeve 524; finally, the locking nut 526 and the pipe seat 523 are threadedly connected, and the locking nut 526 is continued to be rotated, and the sealing member 525 is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut 526 and the end face of the pipe seat 523, thereby realizing the seal between the pipe seat 523 and the locking nut 526.
[0457] In this connection structure, the flexible hollow pipe is connected to the non-spliced whole explosion-proof manifold 53, which reduces the installation accuracy of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52 of each battery module 51 and the spacing deviation between the battery modules 51. The deformation of the flexible hollow pipe can compensate for the installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 52 and the spacing deviation between the battery modules 51, thereby reducing the difficulty of its installation with the explosion-proof manifold 53. At the same time, the use of a non-spliced whole explosion-proof manifold 53 reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent compared to a spliced explosion-proof manifold 53.
[0458] In order to prevent the thermal runaway smoke of a single cell in an individual battery module from spreading to the entire energy storage container and causing safety problems, Examples 22 to 24 use an explosion venting manifold to converge the thermal runaway smoke of all battery modules in the battery pack. When a single cell in any battery module in the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, its thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion venting manifold, reducing the risk of thermal runaway spreading and the risk of combustion or explosion of the battery module or even the battery pack.
[0459] In order to further improve the safety of battery module use, the connection between the explosion venting manifold and the battery module needs to ensure sealing and insulation. Based on this, Examples 22 to 24 provide an explosion venting pipe assembly, which realizes a sealed, insulated, and high-temperature resistant connection between the battery module and the explosion venting manifold, so that the thermal runaway flue gas of all battery modules in the battery pack can be converged using the explosion venting manifold.
[0460] The explosion vent assembly specifically includes a first connecting tube, a second connecting tube, and a ceramic tube. The first connecting tube is used to connect to the explosion vent port of the battery module, and the second connecting tube is used to connect to the explosion vent manifold. The first and second connecting tubes are connected by a ceramic tube. The ceramic tube is an insulating tube that effectively insulates the explosion vent manifold from the battery module. Furthermore, the ceramic tube is high-temperature resistant, preventing deformation and leakage caused by high temperatures.
[0461] The ceramic tube is fixedly connected to the first and second connecting tubes using threads. After connection, the seal is primarily achieved through the longer threaded sections of the ceramic tube and the first and second connecting tubes. However, during actual installation, when the ceramic tube is rotated and locked with the first and second connecting tubes, the longer threaded sections can cause rotational difficulties and even breakage of the ceramic tube end faces, resulting in an unreliable connection.
[0462] Based on this, the above structure was optimized by shortening the length of the original ceramic tube threaded section. A first sealing gasket and a second sealing gasket were then installed at each end of the ceramic tube. The first and second sealing gaskets are used to seal the connection between the ceramic tube and the first and second connecting tubes. Because the length of the ceramic tube threaded section is shortened, the first and second connecting tubes experience less rotational resistance when connected and assembled to the ceramic tube via threads, making rotation easy and convenient. At the same time, the first and second sealing gaskets completely wrap around the end face of the ceramic tube, preventing the end face from cracking. Furthermore, the shortened length of the ceramic tube thread also reduces the difficulty of processing the ceramic tube.
[0463] The ceramic tube and the first and second sealing washers provide a sealed, insulated connection between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold, ensuring the safety of the battery module during use. Furthermore, the explosion-proof manifold assembly features a simple structure and excellent sealing, enabling quick and easy connection between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold, resulting in efficient assembly and convenient disassembly.
[0464] The above-mentioned explosion-proof tube assembly can be applicable to battery modules of various structures, for example, it can be applicable to the battery modules disclosed in Chinese patents CN117477186A, CN117477063A, and CN115275453A; such battery modules include multiple single cells and a shared chamber connected to the inner cavity of each single cell (the shared chamber described here is the first hollow component or the second hollow component described in CN117477186A, the hollow component described in CN117477063A, and the electrolyte shared channel described in CN115275453A); Examples 22 to 24 use one end of the above-mentioned shared chamber as a battery module explosion vent and connect it to the explosion-proof tube assembly.
[0465] The above-mentioned explosion-proof tube assembly can also be applied to the battery module disclosed in Chinese patent CN220324596U. This type of battery module includes a shell and multiple single cells arranged in the shell; the inner cavity of each single cell is connected to the inner cavity of the shell; an explosion-proof port is provided on the shell, and Examples 22 to 24 connect the explosion-proof tube assembly to the explosion-proof port.
[0466] The above-mentioned explosion venting tube assembly can also be applied to single cells and connected to the explosion venting ports of the single cells; for example, it can be used as the explosion venting tube in the battery disclosed in Chinese patent CN113725552A to connect the explosion venting ports of each single cell with the explosion venting manifold.
[0467] The structure of the explosion relief tube assembly is described in detail below by taking a battery module including a housing and a plurality of single batteries arranged in the housing as an example.
[0468] Example 22
[0469] As shown in Figures 63 to 65, this embodiment provides a venting pipe assembly, which mainly realizes the connection between the battery module 61 and the venting manifold to achieve the directional discharge of thermal runaway smoke in the battery module 61. The venting pipe assembly 62 includes a first connecting pipe 621, a second connecting pipe 622 and a connecting assembly; the first connecting pipe 621 is used to connect to the venting port 6113 of the battery module 61, and an venting membrane 6211 is provided in the venting port 6113 of the battery module 61 or in the first connecting pipe 621. The second connecting pipe 622 is used to connect to the venting manifold. The connecting assembly includes a ceramic tube 623, a first sealing gasket 624 and a second sealing gasket 625. The two ends of the ceramic tube 623 are respectively connected to the first connecting pipe 621 and the second connecting pipe 622. The first sealing gasket 624 and the second sealing gasket 625 respectively realize the sealing between the ceramic tube 623 and the first connecting pipe 621 and the second connecting pipe 622.
[0470] As shown in Figure 64, the first connecting tube 621 is a straight metal tube used for sealing connection with the explosion vent 6113 of the battery module 61. It is typically made of the same aluminum metal as the battery module 61 housing, but other metals, such as stainless steel, can also be used. The sealed connection with the explosion vent 6113 of the battery module 61 can be achieved by welding, threading, or interference fit. After connection, it is necessary to ensure that the first connecting tube 621 is in communication with the inner cavity of the battery module 61 housing.
[0471] During the specific connection, as shown in Figures 64 and 65 , the first connecting tube 621 is provided with an annular limiting boss 6212, which is embedded in the explosion vent 6113 of the battery module 61 to secure the first connecting tube 621. This connection method not only ensures accurate installation of the first connecting tube 621, but also facilitates sealing at the connection between the first connecting tube 621 and the battery module 61.
[0472] As shown in FIG65 , an explosion-venting membrane 6211 is installed within the explosion-venting vent 6113 of the battery module 61 or the first connecting tube 621. The explosion-venting membrane 6211 can be made of either a plastic sheet or a metal sheet. If a plastic sheet is used, the explosion-venting membrane 6211 needs to be secured by bonding. However, bonding does not have sufficient pressure-bearing capacity, which may result in accidental explosion. Therefore, in this embodiment, the explosion-venting membrane 6211 is made of a metal sheet and secured by welding. To facilitate welding, the explosion-venting membrane 6211 is preferably made of an aluminum sheet. To facilitate welding of the explosion-venting membrane 6211, in this embodiment, the explosion-venting membrane 6211 is secured within the first connecting tube 621.
[0473] The second connecting pipe 622 is used to connect to the explosion venting manifold, which realizes the convergence of thermal runaway flue gas from multiple battery modules 61. The second connecting pipe 622 can specifically adopt the following structure:
[0474] First, as shown in Figures 64, 65 and 70, the second connecting pipe 622 is a three-way pipe, the first interface of which is sealedly connected to the ceramic tube 623, and the second and third interfaces are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section 631 constituting the explosion venting manifold 63;
[0475] The second connecting pipe 622 is a tee pipe, which is connected to the tees of adjacent battery modules 61 using a flexible pipe section 631 to form an explosion-proof manifold 63. The installation accuracy requirements for the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62 of each battery module 61 are relatively low. The deformation of the flexible pipe section 631 can compensate for the installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 63.
[0476] Second, as shown in Figure 66, the second connecting tube 622 is a flexible hollow tube. One end of the flexible hollow tube is sealed to the ceramic tube 623, and the other end is used to connect to the explosion venting manifold 63. Specifically, the second connecting tube 622 can be fixed to the explosion venting manifold 63 by welding or threading. This flexible hollow tube is a bellows, which can be metal or plastic. However, such bellows must at least meet the requirements of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance.
[0477] The second connecting tube 622 is a flexible hollow tube that connects to the non-spliced, full-length explosion-venting manifold 63. This reduces the installation precision requirements for the explosion-venting tube assembly 62 of each battery module 61. The deformation of the flexible hollow tube compensates for installation deviations of the explosion-venting tube assembly 62, reducing the difficulty of installation between the explosion-venting tube assembly 62 and the explosion-venting manifold 63. Furthermore, the use of a non-spliced, full-length explosion-venting manifold 63 reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent.
[0478] The above-mentioned first connecting tube 621 and second connecting tube 622 are sealed and insulated through a connecting assembly. As shown in Figures 64 and 65, the connecting assembly in this embodiment includes a ceramic tube 623, a first sealing gasket 624 and a second sealing gasket 625; one end of the ceramic tube 623 is connected to the first connecting tube 621, and the other end is connected to the second connecting tube 622. The ceramic tube 623 is an insulating tube that insulates the explosion-proof manifold 63 from each battery module 61. At the same time, the ceramic tube 623 is a high-temperature resistant tube to ensure that it does not deform when thermal runaway of the battery module 61 occurs, and to ensure that there is no leakage at the connection. In addition, the cost and processing of the ceramic tube 623 are relatively simple, and it can be made of ceramic materials such as cubic boron nitride, hexagonal boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide.
[0479] The above-mentioned ceramic tube 623 and the first connecting tube 621 are specifically connected by threads. At this time, the ceramic tube 623 is provided with an internal thread, and the first connecting tube 621 is provided with an external thread. The ceramic tube 623 and the first connecting tube 621 are connected by threads. At the same time, a first sealing gasket 624 is provided between the ceramic tube 623 and the second connecting tube 622. The first sealing gasket 624 realizes the sealing between the ceramic tube 623 and the first connecting tube 621.
[0480] The above-mentioned ceramic tube 623 and the second connecting tube 622 are specifically connected by threads. At this time, the ceramic tube 623 is provided with an external thread, and the second connecting tube 622 is provided with an internal thread. The ceramic tube 623 and the second connecting tube 622 are connected by threads. At the same time, a second sealing gasket 625 is provided between the ceramic tube 623 and the second connecting tube 622. The second sealing gasket 625 realizes the sealing between the ceramic tube 623 and the second connecting tube 622.
[0481] The above connection method achieves a seal between the first connecting tube 621, the second connecting tube 622, and the ceramic tube 623 through the first sealing gasket 624 and the second sealing gasket 625. This shortens the thread length of the original ceramic tube 623. Due to the shortened thread length of the ceramic tube 623, the rotational resistance during assembly is reduced, and the rotation is easy during assembly. The end face of the ceramic tube 623 is no longer broken, thus ensuring the reliability of the connection between the battery module 61 and the explosion-proof manifold 63. At the same time, the shortened thread length of the ceramic tube 623 also reduces the difficulty of processing the ceramic tube 623.
[0482] The first and second sealing gaskets 624 and 625 are typically made of high-temperature and corrosion-resistant materials to meet operational requirements. This is because thermal runaway flue gas has a high temperature and may contain corrosive gases or molten impurities. In this embodiment, the first and second sealing gaskets 624 and 625 can be made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with 20% glass fiber, or PEEK.
[0483] Both the first sealing gasket 624 and the second sealing gasket 625 can be flat gaskets. However, during actual connection, it was found that the end of the ceramic tube 623 with external threads was more susceptible to stress concentration and cracking than the end with internal threads. To further improve safety during use, the sealing gasket with the externally threaded end of the ceramic tube 623 is configured as a T-shaped sealing gasket. The T-shaped sealing gasket is described below, taking the end of the ceramic tube 623 with external threads connecting it to the second connecting tube 622 as an example.
[0484] As shown in FIG65 , the second sealing gasket 625 in this embodiment is a T-shaped sealing gasket comprising a sealing portion 6241 and a sleeve portion 6242. The sealing portion 6241 is disposed between the second connecting tube 622 and the end of the ceramic tube 623, while the sleeve portion 6242 is disposed within the ceramic tube 623. The sealing portion 6241 of the T-shaped sealing gasket is squeezed by the end surfaces of the first connecting tube 621 and the ceramic tube 623, thereby achieving a seal between the two tubes 623 and 621. The sleeve portion 6242 is disposed within the ceramic tube 623 and, together with the sealing portion 6241, completely covers the end of the ceramic tube 623, protecting the end of the ceramic tube 623 and further preventing damage to the ceramic tube 623 during installation. Furthermore, after installation, the sleeve portion 6242 positions the entire second sealing gasket 625, preventing potential sealing instability due to deformation of the sealing portion and further ensuring sealing reliability.
[0485] Example 23
[0486] As shown in Figures 67 to 69, this embodiment provides a battery module. The battery module 61 includes a housing 611 and a plurality of single cells 612 arranged and positioned in the same direction within the housing 611. The single cells 612 in this embodiment are prismatic batteries, and the number can be adjusted based on actual needs. The internal cavity of each single cell 612 includes an electrolyte region and a gas region. After the multiple single cells 612 are arranged and positioned in the same direction within the housing 611, a clearance hole is defined on the top plate of the housing 611, corresponding to the polarity terminals 613 of each single cell 612. The polarity terminals 613 of each single cell 612 extend through the corresponding clearance hole to serve as the polarity terminals of the battery module 61 (the polarity terminals of all single cells on one side serve as the positive polarity terminals of the battery module, and the polarity terminals of all single cells on the other side serve as the negative polarity terminals of the battery module). The top plate area of the housing 611 corresponding to the clearance hole is securely sealed to the housing of the single cell 612.
[0487] It should be noted that the polarity terminal 613 of the single cell 612 here can be the pole of the single cell 612. In order to avoid the pole of the single cell 612 as the polarity terminal 613 from not being able to smoothly extend out of the avoidance hole, a pole adapter can also be connected to the pole of the single cell 612, and the overall structure of the pole of the single cell 612 and the pole adapter can be used as the polarity terminal 613 of the single cell 612.
[0488] As shown in FIG67 , the inner cavity of the shell 611 is connected to the inner cavities of each single cell 612 . The above-mentioned connection effect can be achieved by providing a shared cavity in the shell 611 so that the inner cavity of the shared cavity is connected to the inner cavities of all single cells 612 .
[0489] The shared chamber may be at least one of the electrolyte shared chamber 6112 and the gas shared chamber 6111 .
[0490] The inner cavity of the electrolyte shared chamber 6112 communicates with the electrolyte areas within all the individual cells 612. This shared electrolyte chamber 6112 provides each individual cell 612 with a uniform electrolyte environment, ensuring electrolyte uniformity within each individual cell 612 and improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 61. In this embodiment, the shared electrolyte chamber 6112 is a liquid channel disposed between the bottom plate of the housing 611 and the bottom of each individual cell 612.
[0491] The inner cavity of the gas-sharing chamber 6111 communicates with the inner gas areas of all the individual cells 612. This allows for gas balance within each individual cell 612, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 61. In this embodiment, the gas-sharing chamber 6111 is a gas passageway disposed on the top plate of the outer shell 611. In this case, the top plate of the outer shell 611 is provided with a protrusion extending along the arrangement direction of the individual cells 612, forming a gas passageway at the protrusion.
[0492] The above-mentioned shared chamber can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. The inner cavity of the gas-liquid shared chamber is connected to the electrolyte area and gas area of the inner cavity of all single cells 612. Through a gas-liquid shared chamber, each single cell 612 can be in a unified electrolyte environment and gas environment, thereby improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the battery module 61.
[0493] As shown in Figures 64 and 67 , to direct thermal runaway fumes from the housing 611 of the battery module 61, this embodiment provides a vent 6113 in communication with the inner cavity of the housing 611. Typically, the vent 6113 is connected to the shared chamber. The vent 6113 is connected to the vent pipe assembly 62 of Example 22. The vent pipe assembly 62 directs the thermal runaway fumes generated by thermal runaway of any single cell 612 in the battery module 61 to the vent manifold 63, thereby preventing the battery module 61 from burning or exploding.
[0494] As shown in FIG68 , in this embodiment, a clamping portion is provided at the portion where the polarity terminal 613 of the single battery 612 extends out of the avoidance hole. The clamping portion in this embodiment is a through groove or a through hole, and the heat transfer tube 614 is fixed in the through groove or the through hole. When the temperature of the battery module 61 is higher than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a lower temperature is introduced into the heat transfer tube 614 to cool the battery module 61; when the temperature of the battery module 61 is lower than the set threshold, a heat transfer medium with a higher temperature is introduced into the heat transfer tube 614 to heat the battery module 61; by controlling the temperature of the heat transfer medium, it can be ensured that the battery module 61 always operates at a normal operating temperature.
[0495] As shown in FIG69 , in order to prevent safety problems caused by condensation generated by the heat transfer tube 614, an insulating sealant layer can be laid on the top plate of the outer shell 611 in this embodiment. Part of the polarity terminal 613 of each single battery 612 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the electrical connection part (i.e., the upper end surface) of the polarity terminal 613 of each single battery 612 extends out of the insulating sealant layer and is connected to the electrical connector (based on the electrical connector, the parallel connection of each single battery 612 or the series connection of multiple battery modules 61 can be achieved); the main part of the heat transfer tube 614 is covered by the insulating sealant layer, and the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tube 614 extend out of the insulating sealant layer for connection to the liquid cooling equipment.
[0496] The polarity terminals 613 are directly exposed to the external environment, posing a significant safety hazard during use due to the electrical charge on the polarity terminals 613. Therefore, an insulating protective cover 615 is provided on top of the battery module 61 to provide insulation protection for the polarity terminals 613. This avoids the potential safety hazard of the polarity terminals 613 being exposed during operation, and also prevents foreign matter from falling into the polarity terminals 613 and causing a short circuit in the battery module 61, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 61.
[0497] It should be noted that if the insulating protective cover 615 completely encloses the polarity terminals 613, electrical connection of the battery module 61 would be difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, slits are provided in the sidewalls of the insulating protective cover 615. Through these slits, the electrical connectors can connect to the polarity terminals 613, thereby achieving electrical connection. It should also be noted that the sidewalls of the insulating protective cover 615 also need to provide passages for the liquid inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tubes 614 to extend.
[0498] Example 24
[0499] As shown in Figures 71 and 72, this embodiment provides a battery pack, which includes at least two battery modules 61 in Example 23. In order to prevent the thermal runaway smoke of the single battery 612 in an individual battery module 61 from spreading to the entire container and causing safety hazards, this embodiment connects the explosion venting pipe assemblies 62 of all battery modules 61 in the battery pack using an explosion venting manifold 63. After connection, one end of the explosion venting manifold 63 is sealed and the other end is open, serving as the thermal runaway smoke exhaust port of the battery pack. When a single battery 612 in any battery module 61 in the battery pack undergoes thermal runaway, the thermal runaway smoke can be discharged through the explosion venting manifold 63, reducing the risk of combustion or explosion of the battery module 61 and the battery pack.
[0500] When the explosion relief manifold 63 is connected to the explosion relief pipe assembly 62, the following structure can be specifically adopted:
[0501] First, the explosion relief manifold 63 is a spliced structure, which is suitable for the structure in which the second connecting pipe 622 is a tee pipe;
[0502] As shown in Figures 70 and 71, the second connecting pipes 622 of adjacent battery modules 61 are connected through flexible pipe sections 631 to form explosion-proof manifolds 63. The second connecting pipe 622 includes a horizontal pipe and a vertical pipe section, wherein the vertical pipe section is fixedly connected to the ceramic tube 623, that is, the first interface of the tee pipe is sealed with the ceramic tube 623, and the horizontal pipe section is respectively connected to the two ends of the flexible pipe section 631 by welding or screwing, that is, the second interface and the third interface are respectively connected to the flexible pipe section 631. The flexible pipe section 631 can specifically be a metal bellows, which is resistant to high temperatures and has a certain degree of flexibility. After the explosion-proof manifold 63 is formed by the flexible pipe section 631, the installation accuracy requirements for the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62 of each battery module 61 are relatively small. The installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62 can be compensated by the deformation of the flexible pipe section 631, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 63.
[0503] The assembly process of the explosion relief manifold 63 and the explosion relief pipe assembly 62 of this structure is as follows:
[0504] First, the battery modules 61 provided with the first connecting tubes 621 are arranged in sequence, the first sealing gasket 624 is inserted into the ceramic tube 623, and then the ceramic tube 623 is rotated to connect the ceramic tube 623 to the first connecting tube 621 of each battery module 61;
[0505] Next, the second sealing gasket 625 is placed on the end of the ceramic tube 623, and then the vertical pipe section of the second connecting pipe 622 is connected to the ceramic tube 623;
[0506] Finally, the transverse pipe section of the second connecting pipe 622 is connected to both ends of the flexible pipe section 631 by welding or screwing.
[0507] In the above-mentioned spliced explosion-proof manifold 63, part of the pipe section of the explosion-proof manifold 63 is a flexible pipe section 631. The deformation of the flexible pipe section 631 can compensate for the installation error of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62 and the spacing deviation of the battery modules 61, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the explosion-proof manifold 63;
[0508] Second, the explosion relief manifold 63 is a whole pipe structure, which is suitable for the structure where the second connecting pipe 622 is a flexible hollow pipe;
[0509] As shown in Figure 72, the explosion-proof manifold 63 includes a main pipe 632 and multiple branch pipes 633 arranged on the main pipe 632; the multiple branch pipes 633 are connected one-to-one with the flexible hollow pipe fittings in each battery module 61, and the flexible hollow pipe fittings and the branch pipes 633 of the explosion-proof manifold 63 can be connected by welding or screwing.
[0510] When assembling the explosion-proof manifold 63 of this structure with the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62, first, arrange the battery modules 61 provided with the first connecting pipe 621 in sequence, embed each first sealing gasket 624 into the ceramic tube 623, and then rotate the ceramic tube 623 to connect the ceramic tube 623 with the first connecting pipe 621 of each battery module 61; secondly, put the second sealing gasket 625 on the end of the ceramic tube 623, and then connect the second connecting pipe 622 to the ceramic tube 623; finally, connect the second connecting pipe 622 to the branch pipe 633 of the explosion-proof manifold 63 by welding or screwing.
[0511] In this connection structure, the flexible hollow pipe is connected to the non-spliced whole explosion-proof manifold 63, which has relatively low requirements on the installation accuracy of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62 of each battery module 61 and the spacing deviation between the battery modules 61. The deformation of the flexible hollow pipe can compensate for the installation deviation of the explosion-proof pipe assembly 62 and the spacing deviation between the battery modules 61, thereby reducing the difficulty of its installation with the explosion-proof manifold 63. At the same time, the use of a non-spliced whole explosion-proof manifold 63 reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent compared to a spliced explosion-proof manifold 63.
[0512] Example 25
[0513] In Example 25, an explosion-proof pipe assembly is provided between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold. The explosion-proof pipe of the explosion-proof pipe assembly and the explosion-proof manifold are directly plugged into each other to achieve communication between the battery module and the explosion-proof manifold.
[0514] As shown in Figures 73 to 75, the present embodiment provides an explosion-proof pipe assembly, including an explosion-proof pipe 76, an insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 and a docking pipe 78; the explosion-proof pipe 76 is arranged on the outer shell 79 of the battery module 71, and an explosion-proof membrane 710 is arranged inside the explosion-proof pipe 76; the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 is sleeved on the explosion-proof pipe 76; the docking pipe 78 is arranged on the explosion-proof manifold 74, and the docking pipe 78 is inserted into the outside of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77; after connection, the explosion-proof pipe 76, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 and the docking pipe 78 basically remain coaxial, and under the action of the docking pipe 78, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 is deformed, so that the outer surface of the explosion-proof pipe 76 and the inner surface of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve, as well as the outer surface of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 and the inner surface of the docking pipe 78 are tightly fitted together to ensure airtightness.
[0515] The explosion venting tube 76 is a straight tube, which can be directly fixed to the outer shell 79 of the battery module by welding, or installed on the outer shell 79 of the battery module by threaded connection (in order to ensure the sealing, the explosion venting tube can be coated with a layer of sealant before connection). After connection, it is necessary to ensure that the explosion venting tube 76 and the inner cavity of the battery module 71 are connected. The explosion venting membrane 710 can be made of a plastic sheet or a metal sheet. If a plastic sheet is used, the explosion venting membrane 710 needs to be fixed to the explosion venting tube 76 by bonding. However, due to the insufficient pressure bearing capacity of the bonding method, the accidental explosion may occur. Therefore, in this embodiment, the explosion venting membrane 710 is made of a metal sheet and fixed to the explosion venting tube 76 by welding; in order to facilitate welding, the explosion venting membrane is preferably made of an aluminum sheet. In order to facilitate the welding of the explosion venting membrane 710, in this embodiment, the explosion venting membrane 710 is welded to the explosion venting tube 76 at the side port away from the outer shell 79 of the battery module.
[0516] In addition, it should be emphasized that: in order to ensure the strength of the explosion venting tube 76 and meet the required explosion venting capacity of the explosion venting membrane 710, in this embodiment, the explosion venting tube 76 adopts 5 series aluminum, 6 series aluminum or 7 series aluminum; the explosion venting membrane 710 adopts 1 series aluminum.
[0517] In addition, in this embodiment, in order to further ensure that the explosion-venting membrane 710 can rupture and release pressure under the action of thermal runaway flue gas pressure, the middle area of the explosion-venting membrane 710 is provided with an annular groove to form a weak explosion-venting area. The setting of the annular groove can effectively ensure that the weak explosion-venting area can be broken when the pressure increases to 0.6Mpa to 0.8Mpa.
[0518] In order to ensure that the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 has sufficient deformation and to facilitate docking installation, in this embodiment, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 is generally in the shape of a truncated cone. Specifically, the large diameter end of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is close to the battery module 71, and the small diameter end is close to the docking pipe 78.
[0519] In addition, in this embodiment, in order to ensure the positioning of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 during the docking process between the explosion-proof tube 76 and the docking tube 78, and to avoid direct contact between the docking tube 78 and the outer shell 79 of the battery module (to ensure insulation and at the same time avoid the docking tube from scratching the outer shell of the battery module), a ring plate 711 is provided on the above-mentioned insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 (the ring plate 711 is specifically provided at the large diameter end of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77), which is used to abut against the outer shell of the battery module.
[0520] Since the thermal runaway flue gas has a relatively high temperature and may contain corrosive gases or molten impurities, the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 needs to be made of a high-temperature resistant and corrosion-resistant material.
[0521] The butt joint 78 can be fixed to the explosion relief manifold 74 by welding or threaded connection. In order to facilitate manufacturing and ensure air tightness, the butt joint 78 is installed on the explosion relief manifold 74 by welding in this embodiment.
[0522] Based on the above introduction to the structure of the explosion vent tube assembly, the battery pack using the explosion vent tube assembly is now described:
[0523] As shown in Figures 76 to 78, the battery pack includes N battery modules 71 and a mounting platform 712; N is greater than or equal to 2, and in this embodiment, N is equal to 5. The number can be increased or decreased according to actual needs;
[0524] Specifically, the battery module 71 includes a housing 79 and a plurality of single cells 713. In this embodiment, the plurality of single cells 713 are arranged in parallel within the housing 79. The housing of each single cell 713 is provided with at least one first through hole. The housing 79 is provided with a vent tube 76 that communicates with the interior of the housing 79. The top of the housing 79 is provided with a second through hole 716 for leading out the first polarity terminal 714 and the second polarity terminal 715 of each single cell. The top area of the housing 79 corresponding to each second through hole 716 is fixedly sealed to the top of the housing of the single cell 713 corresponding to the second through hole 716.
[0525] The electrolyte in each single cell is connected to the electrolyte in the housing through the first through hole, so that each single cell is in a shared electrolyte system.
[0526] It should be noted that the first polarity terminal 714 can be the positive electrode of the single cell or a positive electrode adapter connected to the positive electrode. Similarly, the second polarity terminal 715 can be the negative electrode of the single cell or a negative electrode adapter connected to the negative electrode.
[0527] The explosion relief tube 76 can be connected to the outer shell 79 by means of a threaded connection. The purpose is to use the interface on the outer shell 79 for installing the explosion relief tube 76 to install a vacuum equipment to vacuum the battery module, so as to facilitate the subsequent injection of electrolyte into the battery module. The interface can also be used to install a liquid injection mechanism to inject and replace the liquid in the battery module.
[0528] There are two ways to fix and seal the top area of the housing corresponding to each second through hole with the top of the single cell housing corresponding to the second through hole, as shown in Figures 77 and 78:
[0529] 1. A sealing connector is added between the top area of the housing 79 corresponding to the second through-hole 716 and the upper cover plate of the cell 713 corresponding to the second through-hole 716 to achieve sealing. Referring to Figures 73 and 75 , this sealing connector includes a hollow member 717. The bottom of this hollow member 717 is sealed to a first area of the cell 713, and the top of this hollow member 717 is sealed to a second area of the housing 79. The first area is the area surrounding any pole on the upper cover plate of any cell 713; the second area is the area corresponding to any second through-hole 716 on the top of the housing 79. The area corresponding to a second through-hole 716 is the area on the outer surface of the housing 79 surrounding any second through-hole 716, or the area corresponding to a second through-hole 716 is the wall of the second through-hole 716. The area surrounding the pole is the area surrounding the insulating gasket on the pole. This insulating gasket is a component on the cell that insulates the pole from the upper cover plate.
[0530] Second, the area of the housing 79 corresponding to the second through hole 716 and the upper cover area around the battery cell pole can be directly fixed and sealed by laser welding. This method is generally suitable for cases where the height dimensions of the individual batteries in the housing are relatively consistent.
[0531] In order to make the injection process smoother and form a shared electrolyte system with a more continuous electrolyte level, the shell 79 of the battery module in this embodiment is provided with an integrally formed electrolyte channel 718. The electrolyte channel 718 corresponds to the first through-hole position on each single battery cell. Specifically, it can be on the top, bottom or side wall of the shell 79.
[0532] In addition to the battery modules with a shared electrolyte system described in this embodiment, some battery modules currently on the market are also suitable for the explosion vent assembly of this embodiment. Such battery modules utilize multiple single cells electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel, then placed within a single housing. Each single cell exists independently and does not share a shared electrolyte system. If thermal runaway occurs in individual cells of such a battery module, the resulting fumes can also be discharged through the explosion vent assembly.
[0533] As shown in Figure 79, the mounting platform 712 is a rectangular frame structure surrounded by four side beams. To save space for the energy storage device and reduce the cumbersome assembly process associated with separately arranging the explosion venting manifold 74, one of the side beams of the mounting platform 712 can be used as the explosion venting manifold 74. A matching number of butt-jointing pipes can be installed on this side beam based on the number of battery modules installed on the mounting platform.
[0534] To facilitate assembly, the mounting platform 712 further includes multiple pairs of support beams 719 ; each pair of support beams 719 serves as a mounting position for a battery module 71 , and the position of each pair of support beams 719 corresponds to a docking tube 78 .
[0535] When installing the battery module on the mounting platform, first place the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 on the explosion-proof tube 76, then place the battery module 71 on a pair of support beams 719, and then push the battery module 71. The explosion-proof tube 76 with the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77 begins to be inserted into the docking tube 78. When the end of the docking tube 78 contacts the ring plate 711 on the insulating sealing rubber sleeve 77, the battery module is installed in place.
[0536] It can be seen that the support beam not only serves as the installation position of the battery module, but also plays a sliding guide role when the explosion relief pipe of the battery module and the connecting pipe on the installation platform are plugged in.
[0537] It should be emphasized here that: in this embodiment, the shell of the battery module is charged, so insulation needs to be maintained between the battery module shell and the support beam. The insulation method can be to apply an insulating layer on the bottom of the battery module or the support beam or to provide a covering insulating film.
Claims
1. A battery module, characterized in that: It comprises a shell and a plurality of single cells arranged in the shell; the inner cavity of each single cell is connected with the inner cavity of the shell; an explosion relief pipe assembly connected with the inner cavity of the shell is arranged on the shell; the explosion relief pipe assembly is used to connect with the explosion relief manifold.
2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The explosion-relief pipe assembly includes a first explosion-relief component and a second explosion-relief component; wherein the first explosion-relief component includes a first hollow pipe connected to the outer shell, and an explosion-relief membrane is arranged in the first hollow pipe; the second explosion-relief component is a three-way pipe, whose first interface is sealedly connected to the first explosion-relief component, and the second interface and the third interface are respectively used to connect with the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-relief manifold.
3. The battery module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second explosion relief component is a flexible three-way pipe; the outer wall of one end of the first explosion relief component connected to the second explosion relief component is provided with external threads; the flexible joint of the second explosion relief component is threadedly connected to the external threads of the outer wall of the first explosion relief component as a first interface.
4. The battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first explosion-relief component also includes a second hollow pipe fitting connected to the first hollow pipe fitting; the second hollow pipe fitting is made of insulating material; the outer wall of one end of the first hollow pipe fitting connected to the second hollow pipe fitting is provided with an external thread; the second hollow pipe fitting includes a connecting pipe and a union nut connected to one end of the connecting pipe; the outer wall of the other end of the connecting pipe is provided with an external thread; the union nut of the second hollow pipe fitting is threadedly connected to the external thread of the outer wall of the first hollow pipe fitting; the other end of the second hollow pipe fitting is threadedly connected to the union joint of the second explosion-relief component.
5. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that: A sealing gasket is provided at the connection position between the second hollow pipe, the first hollow pipe and the second explosion relief component.
6. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: An explosion-relief membrane is arranged in the explosion-relief pipe assembly; the explosion-relief pipe assembly comprises a flexible hollow pipe fitting, one end of which is connected to the outer shell, and the other end is used to be connected to the explosion-relief manifold.
7. The battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The explosion-proof pipe assembly also includes a first hollow pipe, and the explosion-proof membrane is arranged in the first hollow pipe; the flexible hollow pipe is connected to the shell through the first hollow pipe.
8. The battery module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The flexible hollow pipe is a corrugated pipe with a flexible joint at at least one end; the flexible joint of the flexible hollow pipe is threadedly connected to the first hollow pipe.
9. The battery module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The explosion relief pipe assembly also includes a second hollow pipe made of insulating material; one end of the second hollow pipe is connected to the first hollow pipe, and the other end is connected to the flexible hollow pipe.
10. The battery module according to claim 9, characterized in that: The flexible hollow pipe is a corrugated pipe with flexible joints at both ends, and the flexible joints at both ends are respectively connected to one end of the second hollow pipe and the explosion-relief manifold.
11. The battery module according to claim 9, characterized in that: A sealing gasket is provided at the connection position between the second hollow pipe member, the first hollow pipe member and the flexible hollow pipe member.
12. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The explosion-relief pipe assembly includes a first explosion-relief component and a second explosion-relief component; wherein the first explosion-relief component is a hollow pipe connected to the outer shell, and an explosion-relief membrane is arranged inside the hollow pipe; the second explosion-relief component is a three-way pipe, whose first interface is sealedly connected to the first explosion-relief component, and the second interface and the third interface are respectively used to connect with the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-relief manifold; the hollow pipe and / or the three-way pipe are provided with a bending portion.
13. The battery module according to claim 12, characterized in that: The bending portion of the tee pipe is located in the pipe section between the second interface and the third interface.
14. The battery module according to claim 13, characterized in that: The tee pipe is a Y-shaped tee.
15. The battery module according to claim 12, characterized in that: The second explosion relief component is a flexible tee pipe; the outer wall of one end of the hollow pipe connected to the second explosion relief component is provided with external threads; the flexible joint of the second explosion relief component is threadedly connected to the external threads of the outer wall of the hollow pipe as a first interface.
16. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: An explosion vent is provided on the shell; the explosion vent pipe assembly includes a first pipe section, a second pipe section and a third pipe section which are connected in sequence; the first pipe section is a metal pipe which is sealed and connected to the explosion vent; the second pipe section is a high temperature resistant insulating pipe; the third pipe section is a metal pipe which is used to be connected to the explosion vent manifold.
17. The battery module according to claim 16, characterized in that: The second pipe section is a ceramic pipe.
18. The battery module according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that: Avoidance holes are provided on the top plate of the shell corresponding to the polarity terminals of each single cell; each single cell polarity terminal extends out of the avoidance hole, and the top plate area of the shell corresponding to the avoidance hole is fixedly sealed with the single cell shell; a heat transfer tube clamping portion is provided at the portion where each single cell polarity terminal extends out of the avoidance hole; the heat transfer tube is fixed on the heat transfer tube clamping portion of each single cell polarity terminal, and the heat transfer tube is insulated from each single cell.
19. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shared chamber is provided in the shell, and the inner cavity of the shared chamber is connected to the inner cavities of all the single cells; an explosion vent is provided on the shell; the explosion vent pipe assembly includes a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe and a connecting assembly; The first connecting tube is connected to the explosion-proof port of the battery module, and an explosion-proof membrane is provided in the first connecting tube, and the second connecting tube is used to be connected to the explosion-proof collecting pipe; the connecting assembly includes a tube seat, an insulating sleeve, a sealing member and a locking nut; the tube seat is fixed to the end of the second connecting tube, and a through hole is provided inside the tube seat, and an external thread is provided on the outer wall; the insulating sleeve is sleeved on the first connecting tube; a first step hole is provided in the locking nut, and the large hole of the first step hole is a threaded hole; the locking nut and the tube seat are sleeved on the insulating sleeve, and the locking nut is threadedly connected to the tube seat; the sealing member is sleeved on the insulating sleeve, and is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut and the end face of the tube seat, so as to realize the sealing between the tube seat and the locking nut.
20. The battery module according to claim 19, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, a first interface of which is sealedly connected to the pipe seat, and a second interface and a third interface are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-relief manifold.
21. The battery module according to claim 19, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, one end of which is sealed and connected to the pipe seat, and the other end of which is used to be connected to the explosion-relief manifold.
22. The battery module according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that: The through hole in the tube seat is a second step hole, and the end of the insulating sleeve close to the second connecting pipe is provided with an annular inner rib, and the annular inner rib is squeezed by the end face of the first connecting pipe and the step face of the second step hole to achieve sealing between the tube seat and the first connecting pipe. At the same time, the inner diameter of the annular inner rib is smaller than the inner tube diameter of the first connecting pipe, and is also smaller than the small hole size of the second step hole.
23. The battery module according to claim 22, characterized in that: An annular outer rib is provided at the end of the insulating sleeve close to the explosion vent of the battery module, and the annular outer rib is used to abut against the outer shell of the battery module.
24. The battery module according to claim 22, characterized in that: The sealing member comprises a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring arranged along the axial direction; the first sealing ring contacts the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut to form a first conical surface seal, the second sealing ring contacts the end surface of the pipe seat to form a second conical surface seal, the first sealing ring and the second sealing ring contact to form a third conical surface seal, and the matching angles of the first conical surface seal, the second conical surface seal and the third conical surface seal are different.
25. The battery module according to claim 22, characterized in that: An annular limiting boss is provided on the first connecting tube, and the annular limiting boss is used to cooperate with the explosion vent of the battery module to fix the first connecting tube.
26. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shared chamber is provided in the shell, and the inner cavity of the shared chamber is connected to the inner cavities of all the single cells; an explosion vent is provided on the shell; the explosion vent pipe assembly includes a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe and a connecting assembly; The first connecting tube is connected to the explosion-proof port of the battery module, and an explosion-proof membrane is provided in the first connecting tube or in the explosion-proof port of the battery module, and the second connecting tube is used to be connected to the explosion-proof collecting pipe; the connecting assembly includes a ceramic tube, a first sealing gasket and a second sealing gasket; one end of the ceramic tube is threadedly connected to the first connecting tube, and the first sealing gasket is provided at the connection between the first connecting tube and the ceramic tube to achieve sealing between the first connecting tube and the ceramic tube; the other end of the ceramic tube is threadedly connected to the second connecting tube, and the second sealing gasket is provided at the connection between the second connecting tube and the ceramic tube to achieve sealing between the second connecting tube and the ceramic tube.
27. The battery module according to claim 26, characterized in that: One end of the ceramic tube connected to the second connecting tube is provided with an external thread; the second sealing gasket is a T-shaped sealing gasket, including a sealing part and a bushing part, the sealing part is arranged at the end of the ceramic tube, and the bushing part is arranged inside the ceramic tube.
28. The battery module according to claim 26, characterized in that: The first sealing gasket and the second sealing gasket are polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets or gaskets made of PEEK.
29. The battery module according to any one of claims 26 to 28, characterized in that: An annular limiting boss is provided on the first connecting tube, and the annular limiting boss is used to cooperate with the explosion vent of the battery module to achieve fixed connection of the first connecting tube.
30. The battery module according to claim 29, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, a first interface of which is connected to the ceramic pipe, and a second interface and a third interface are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-relief manifold.
31. The battery module according to claim 29, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, one end of which is connected to the ceramic pipe, and the other end of which is used to be connected to the explosion-relief manifold.
32. The battery module according to claim 26, characterized in that: The top plate of the shell is provided with avoidance holes corresponding to the polarity terminals of each single cell; each single cell polarity terminal extends out of the avoidance holes, and the top plate area of the shell corresponding to the avoidance holes is fixedly sealed with the single cell shell; a clamping part is provided at the part where each single cell polarity terminal extends out of the avoidance holes; the heat transfer tube is fixed on the clamping part of each single cell polarity terminal, and the heat transfer tube is insulated from each single cell.
33. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of single cells are arranged in parallel in the shell; at least one first through hole is arranged on the shell of each single cell; a venting tube connected to the inside of the shell is arranged on the shell; a second through hole for leading out the first polarity terminal and the second polarity terminal of each single cell is arranged on the top of the shell, and the top area of the shell corresponding to each second through hole is fixedly sealed with the top of the shell of the single cell corresponding to the second through hole; the electrolyte in each single cell is connected with the electrolyte in the shell, so that each single cell is in a shared electrolyte system; the venting tube assembly includes a venting tube; and an venting membrane is arranged in the venting tube.
34. A battery pack, characterized in that: It comprises an explosion-proof manifold and at least two battery modules according to claim 1; the explosion-proof pipe assembly of each battery module is connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
35. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: The invention comprises at least two battery modules as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5; the second explosion relief components of two adjacent battery modules are connected by a flexible pipe section, the free end of the second explosion relief component of one of the two outermost battery modules is sealed, and the free end of the other battery module is open to serve as a thermal runaway smoke exhaust port of the battery pack.
36. The battery pack according to claim 35, characterized in that: The outer walls of the two end joints connecting the second explosion relief component and the flexible pipe section are provided with external threads; the two ends of the flexible pipe section are connected with union nuts; the union nuts of the flexible pipe section are threadedly connected with the external threads of the outer wall of the second explosion relief component.
37. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: Comprising n battery modules as described in any one of claims 6 to 11; wherein n is an integer greater than 1; the flexible hollow tubes of each battery module are connected to an explosion venting manifold, one end of the explosion venting manifold is sealed and the other end is open, serving as a thermal runaway smoke exhaust outlet for the battery pack.
38. The battery pack according to claim 37, characterized in that: The explosion-relief manifold comprises a main pipe and n branch pipes arranged on the main pipe; the n branch pipes correspond one-to-one to the flexible hollow pipe fittings of the n battery modules; each branch pipe is threadedly connected to a live joint of the flexible hollow pipe fitting of the corresponding battery module.
39. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: Comprising at least two battery modules as described in any one of claims 12 to 15; the second explosion relief components of two adjacent battery modules are connected by a flexible pipe section, the free end of the second explosion relief component of one of the two outermost battery modules is sealed, and the free end of the other battery module is open to serve as a thermal runaway smoke exhaust port for the battery pack.
40. The battery pack according to claim 39, characterized in that: The outer walls of the two end joints connecting the second explosion relief component and the flexible pipe section are provided with external threads; the two ends of the flexible pipe section are connected with union nuts; the union nuts of the flexible pipe section are threadedly connected with the external threads of the outer wall of the second explosion relief component.
41. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: A battery module comprising a plurality of battery modules according to any one of claims 16 to 18; further comprising a battery pack support frame; a plurality of battery modules are fixed on the battery pack support frame; The third pipe section of the explosion-proof pipe assembly in each battery module is sealed and connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
42. The battery pack according to claim 41, characterized in that: A side beam in the battery pack support frame is a hollow component, which serves as an explosion-proof manifold; a plurality of branch pipes corresponding to each battery module are provided on the explosion-proof manifold; each branch pipe is sealed and connected to the third pipe section of the explosion-proof pipe assembly in the corresponding battery module.
43. The battery pack according to claim 41, characterized in that: The explosion-proof manifold includes a plurality of three-way pipes corresponding to each battery module, and a flexible pipe section connected between two three-way pipes; the first interface of each three-way pipe is sealed and connected to the third pipe section of the explosion-proof pipe assembly in the corresponding battery module.
44. The battery pack according to claim 43, characterized in that: One side beam of the battery pack support frame is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold is embedded between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel.
45. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: Comprising n battery modules as described in any one of claims 19 to 25, wherein n is an integer greater than 1; the second connecting tube of each battery module is connected to the explosion-proof manifold, one end of the explosion-proof manifold is sealed, and the other end is open, serving as a thermal runaway smoke exhaust port for the battery pack.
46. The battery pack according to claim 45, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, and the second connecting pipes of adjacent battery modules are connected through a flexible pipe section to form an explosion-proof manifold.
47. The battery pack according to claim 45, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, and the explosion-relief manifold comprises a main pipe and n branch pipes arranged on the main pipe; the n branch pipes are connected to the second connecting pipes of the n battery modules in a one-to-one correspondence.
48. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: Comprising n battery modules as described in any one of claims 26 to 32, wherein n is an integer greater than 1; the second connecting tube of each battery module is connected to the explosion-proof manifold, one end of the explosion-proof manifold is sealed and the other end is open, serving as a thermal runaway smoke exhaust port for the battery pack.
49. The battery pack according to claim 48, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, and the second connecting pipes of adjacent battery modules are connected through a flexible pipe section to form an explosion-proof manifold.
50. The battery pack according to claim 48, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, and the explosion-relief manifold comprises a main pipe and n branch pipes arranged on the main pipe; the n branch pipes are connected to the second connecting pipes of the n battery modules in a one-to-one correspondence.
51. The battery pack according to claim 34, characterized in that: It comprises an installation platform and N battery modules as described in claim 33; N is greater than or equal to 2; the installation platform is a frame structure, and a side beam in the installation platform serves as an explosion-proof manifold for thermal runaway smoke; each battery module is sealed and insulated with the explosion-proof manifold through an explosion-proof manifold assembly; the explosion-proof manifold assembly also comprises an insulating sealing rubber sleeve and a butt joint pipe; the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is mounted on the explosion-proof pipe; the butt joint pipe is arranged on the explosion-proof manifold, and the butt joint pipe is plugged into the outside of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve.
52. The battery pack according to claim 51, characterized in that: The insulating sealing rubber sleeve is a truncated cone structure.
53. The battery pack according to claim 51 or 52, characterized in that: The insulating sealing rubber sleeve is provided with a ring plate for abutting against the outer shell of the battery module.
54. The battery pack according to claim 53, characterized in that: The explosion-proof tube is an aluminum straight tube, one end of which is used to be fixedly connected to the battery module shell and communicated with the inside of the battery module, and the other end is provided with an aluminum sheet used as an explosion-proof membrane.
55. The battery pack according to claim 54, characterized in that: The middle area of the explosion-proof membrane is provided with an annular groove to form a weak explosion-proof area.
56. A battery module, characterized in that: The invention comprises an explosion relief pipe assembly, a plurality of single cells and a shared chamber connected to the inner chambers of each single cell; one end of the shared chamber is used as an explosion relief port; the explosion relief pipe assembly comprises a first pipe section, a second pipe section and a third pipe section connected in sequence; The first pipe section is a metal pipe, which is sealed and connected to the explosion vent; the second pipe section is a high-temperature resistant insulating pipe; and the third pipe section is a metal pipe, which is used to connect to the explosion venting manifold.
57. The battery module according to claim 56, characterized in that: The second pipe section is a ceramic pipe.
58. A battery pack, characterized in that: It comprises a battery pack support frame, an explosion-proof manifold, and a plurality of battery modules as claimed in claim 56 or 57 fixed on the battery pack support frame; the third pipe section of the explosion-proof transfer pipe in each battery module is sealed and connected to the explosion-proof manifold.
59. The battery pack according to claim 58, characterized in that: A side beam in the battery pack support frame is a hollow component, which serves as an explosion-proof manifold; a plurality of branch pipes corresponding to each battery module are provided on the explosion-proof manifold; each branch pipe is sealed and connected to the third pipe section of the explosion-proof transfer pipe in the corresponding battery module.
60. The battery pack according to claim 58, characterized in that: The explosion-proof manifold includes a plurality of three-way pipes corresponding to each battery module, and a flexible pipe section connected between two three-way pipes; the first interface of each three-way pipe is sealed and connected to the third pipe section of the explosion-proof transfer pipe in the corresponding battery module.
61. The battery pack according to claim 60, characterized in that: One side beam of the battery pack support frame is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold is embedded between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel.
62. A battery pack, comprising N battery modules and a mounting platform; N is greater than or equal to 2; characterized in that: The installation platform is a frame structure, and a side beam in the installation platform serves as an explosion-proof manifold for thermal runaway smoke; each battery module and the explosion-proof manifold are sealed and insulated by an explosion-proof pipe assembly; the explosion-proof pipe assembly includes an explosion-proof pipe, an insulating sealing rubber sleeve and a butt joint pipe; the explosion-proof pipe is arranged on the outer shell of the battery module, and an explosion-proof membrane is arranged in the explosion-proof pipe; the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is arranged on the explosion-proof pipe; the butt joint pipe is arranged on the explosion-proof manifold, and the butt joint pipe is inserted into the outside of the insulating sealing rubber sleeve.
63. The battery pack according to claim 62, characterized in that: The insulating sealing rubber sleeve is a truncated cone structure.
64. The battery pack according to claim 62 or 63, characterized in that: The insulating sealing rubber sleeve is provided with a ring plate for abutting against the outer shell of the battery module.
65. The battery pack according to claim 64, characterized in that: The explosion-proof tube is an aluminum straight tube, one end of which is used to be fixedly connected to the battery module shell and communicated with the inside of the battery module, and the other end is provided with an aluminum sheet used as an explosion-proof membrane.
66. The battery pack according to claim 65, characterized in that: The middle area of the explosion-proof membrane is provided with an annular groove to form a weak explosion-proof area. 67.An explosion relief pipe assembly, characterized in that: One end is used to connect to the battery module, and the other end is used to connect to the explosion-proof manifold.
68. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 67, characterized in that: It includes a first pipe section, a second pipe section and a third pipe section which are connected in sequence; wherein the first pipe section is a metal pipe for sealingly connecting with the explosion vent of the battery module; the second pipe section is a high temperature resistant insulating pipe; and the third pipe section is a metal pipe for connecting with the explosion venting manifold.
69. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 68, characterized in that: The second pipe section is a ceramic pipe.
70. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 67, characterized in that: It includes a first connecting tube, a second connecting tube and a connecting assembly; the first connecting tube is used to connect with the explosion-proof port of the battery module, and an explosion-proof membrane is provided in the first connecting tube, and the second connecting tube is used to connect with the explosion-proof collector; the connecting assembly includes a tube seat, an insulating sleeve, a sealing member and a locking nut; the tube seat is fixed at the end of the second connecting tube, and a through hole is provided inside the tube, and an external thread is provided on the outer wall; the insulating sleeve is sleeved on the first connecting tube; a first step hole is provided in the locking nut, and the large hole of the first step hole is a threaded hole; the locking nut and the tube seat are sleeved on the insulating sleeve, and the locking nut is threadedly connected to the tube seat; the sealing member is sleeved on the insulating sleeve, and is squeezed by the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut and the end face of the tube seat, so as to realize the sealing between the tube seat and the locking nut.
71. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 70, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, a first interface of which is sealedly connected to the pipe seat, and a second interface and a third interface are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-relief manifold.
72. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 70, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, one end of which is sealed and connected to the pipe seat, and the other end of which is used to be connected to the explosion-relief manifold.
73. The explosion venting tube assembly according to any one of claims 70 to 72, characterized in that: The through hole in the tube seat is a second step hole, and the end of the insulating sleeve close to the second connecting pipe is provided with an annular inner rib, and the annular inner rib is squeezed by the end face of the first connecting pipe and the step face of the second step hole to achieve sealing between the tube seat and the first connecting pipe. At the same time, the inner diameter of the annular inner rib is smaller than the inner tube diameter of the first connecting pipe, and is also smaller than the small hole size of the second step hole.
74. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 73, characterized in that: An annular outer rib is provided at the end of the insulating sleeve close to the explosion vent of the battery module, and the annular outer rib is used to abut against the outer shell of the battery module.
75. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 73, characterized in that: The sealing member comprises a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring arranged along the axial direction; the first sealing ring contacts the step surface of the first step hole of the locking nut to form a first conical surface seal, the second sealing ring contacts the end surface of the pipe seat to form a second conical surface seal, the first sealing ring and the second sealing ring contact to form a third conical surface seal, and the matching angles of the first conical surface seal, the second conical surface seal and the third conical surface seal are different.
76. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 73, characterized in that: An annular limiting boss is provided on the first connecting tube, and the annular limiting boss is used to cooperate with the explosion vent of the battery module to fix the first connecting tube.
77. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 67, characterized in that: It includes a first connecting tube, a second connecting tube and a connecting assembly; the first connecting tube is used to connect with the explosion-proof port of the battery module, and an explosion-proof membrane is provided in the first connecting tube or in the explosion-proof port of the battery module, and the second connecting tube is used to connect with the explosion-proof manifold; the connecting assembly includes a ceramic tube, a first sealing gasket and a second sealing gasket; one end of the ceramic tube is threadedly connected to the first connecting tube, and the first sealing gasket is provided at the connection between the first connecting tube and the ceramic tube to achieve sealing between the first connecting tube and the ceramic tube; the other end of the ceramic tube is threadedly connected to the second connecting tube, and the second sealing gasket is provided at the connection between the second connecting tube and the ceramic tube to achieve sealing between the second connecting tube and the ceramic tube.
78. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 77, characterized in that: One end of the ceramic tube connected to the second connecting tube is provided with an external thread; the second sealing gasket is a T-shaped sealing gasket, including a sealing part and a bushing part, the sealing part is arranged at the end of the ceramic tube, and the bushing part is arranged inside the ceramic tube.
79. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 77, characterized in that: The first sealing gasket and the second sealing gasket are polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets or gaskets made of PEEK.
80. The explosion venting tube assembly according to any one of claims 77 to 79, characterized in that: An annular limiting boss is provided on the first connecting tube, and the annular limiting boss is used to cooperate with the explosion vent of the battery module to achieve fixed connection of the first connecting tube.
81. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 80, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a three-way pipe, a first interface of which is connected to the ceramic pipe, and a second interface and a third interface are respectively used to connect to the flexible pipe section constituting the explosion-relief manifold.
82. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 80, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe is a flexible hollow pipe, one end of which is connected to the ceramic pipe, and the other end of which is used to be connected to the explosion-relief manifold.
83. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 67, characterized in that: It includes an explosion-proof pipe, an insulating sealing rubber sleeve and a butt-joint pipe; the explosion-proof pipe is used to be arranged on the outer shell of the battery module, and an explosion-proof membrane is arranged inside the explosion-proof pipe; the insulating sealing rubber sleeve is sleeved on the explosion-proof pipe; the butt-joint pipe is used to be arranged on the explosion-proof manifold, and the butt-joint pipe is inserted outside the insulating sealing rubber sleeve.
84. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 83, characterized in that: The insulating sealing rubber sleeve is a truncated cone structure.
85. The explosion venting pipe assembly according to claim 83 or 84, characterized in that: The insulating sealing rubber sleeve is provided with a ring plate for abutting against the outer shell of the battery module.
86. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 85, characterized in that: The explosion-proof tube is an aluminum straight tube, one end of which is used to be fixedly connected to the battery module shell and communicated with the inside of the battery module, and the other end is provided with an aluminum sheet used as an explosion-proof membrane.
87. The explosion vent assembly according to claim 86, characterized in that: The middle area of the explosion-proof membrane is provided with an annular groove to form a weak explosion-proof area.
88. A mounting platform, characterized in that: Applicable to the battery pack as described in claim 62; the mounting platform is a frame structure, a side beam in the mounting platform serves as an explosion venting manifold for thermal runaway smoke, and a plurality of docking tubes are provided on the explosion venting manifold.
89. The mounting platform according to claim 88, characterized in that: It also includes a plurality of pairs of support beams fixed in the frame structure; each pair of support beams serves as a mounting position for a battery module, and insulation is maintained between the support beams and the battery module.
90. A battery pack assembly, characterized in that: It comprises the battery pack, mounting bracket and battery pack support frame as described in claim 35 or 36; the battery pack is fixed to the battery pack support frame by the mounting bracket.
91. The battery pack assembly according to claim 90, characterized in that: The battery pack support frame is a rectangular frame, including a U-shaped frame and a first beam detachably fixed to an open end of the U-shaped frame.
92. The battery pack assembly according to claim 91, characterized in that: The U-shaped frame includes a second beam and a third beam respectively fixed at both ends of the second beam; the second beam is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold of the battery pack is located between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel.
93. A battery pack assembly, characterized in that: It includes a battery pack support frame and the battery pack according to claim 37 or 38 fixed on the battery pack support frame, one of the side beams of the battery pack support frame is an I-shaped steel, and the explosion-proof manifold is embedded in the inner space between the upper flange and the lower flange of the side beam.
94. A battery pack assembly, characterized in that: Comprising the battery pack of claim 39 or 40 and a battery pack support frame; the battery pack is fixed on the battery pack support frame.
95. The battery pack assembly according to claim 94, characterized in that: The battery pack support frame is a rectangular frame, including a U-shaped frame and a first beam detachably fixed to an open end of the U-shaped frame.
96. The battery pack assembly according to claim 95, characterized in that: The U-shaped frame includes a second beam and a third beam respectively fixed at both ends of the second beam; wherein the first beam and the second beam are I-shaped steels, and the explosion-proof manifold of the battery pack is located between the upper and lower flanges of the I-shaped steel of the first beam or the second beam.
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