CN218586094U

CN218586094U - Battery package and vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN218586094U
Application number: CN202222835131.4U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 冯帅; 杨重科
Original assignee: Human Horizons Shandong Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Human Horizons Shandong Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-10-26
Filing date: 2022-10-26
Publication date: 2023-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2032-10-26

Abstract

The embodiment of the disclosure provides a battery pack and a vehicle. The battery pack comprises a battery pack array and at least one heat exchange plate, wherein the battery pack array comprises a plurality of battery packs; the battery pack comprises a battery shell and an accommodating cavity positioned in the battery shell, and a heat exchange flow channel is arranged in the accommodating cavity; the battery pack also comprises a battery cell monomer arranged in the accommodating cavity, a collecting pipe inlet and a collecting pipe outlet, wherein the collecting pipe inlet and the collecting pipe outlet are respectively communicated with the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchange flow passage; the heat exchange plate is positioned on one side of the battery pack array and is in contact with the surface of one side of each battery pack, and a fourth flow channel is arranged in the heat exchange plate; the battery pack further comprises a first inlet end and a first outlet end, the inlets of the collecting pipes and the inlets of the fourth flow passages are communicated with the first inlet end, the outlets of the collecting pipes and the outlets of the fourth flow passages are communicated with the first outlet end, the first inlet end is used for receiving heat exchange media, and the first outlet end is used for discharging the heat exchange media.

Description

Battery package and vehicle

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular, to a battery pack and a vehicle.

Background

The performance of the power battery loaded on the new energy vehicle is obviously influenced by the temperature. In order to ensure the capacity and the working performance of the power battery in the life cycle, the power battery needs to be thermally managed to ensure that the temperature of the power battery is in an optimal working temperature range. With the development of power battery energy density and high-rate charging technology, the requirement on thermal management is higher and higher.

The battery thermal management system can be divided into air cooling, liquid cooling, phase change cooling, coupling cooling and the like according to the types of working media. The liquid cooling mode and liquid cooling efficiency in the prior art need to be further improved.

In addition, for the battery pack, the phenomenon that the temperature rise is uncontrollable due to the internal exothermic reaction of the battery cell is called thermal runaway. Thermal runaway failure can occur when the heat generated by a cell monomer is higher than it can dissipate. Thermal runaway of other cell monomers is caused by thermal runaway of one cell monomer, namely thermal runaway diffusion, which can be referred to as thermal diffusion for short. For various reasons, the battery applied in the prior art cannot completely avoid the thermal runaway, and how to reduce or avoid the safety problem caused by the thermal runaway becomes one of the technical problems to be solved.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack and a vehicle to solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art.

As an aspect of embodiments of the present disclosure, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery pack including a battery pack array including a plurality of battery packs arranged in a preset direction, and at least one heat exchange plate;

the battery pack comprises a battery shell and an accommodating cavity positioned in the battery shell, and a heat exchange flow channel for circulating a heat exchange medium is arranged in the accommodating cavity; the battery pack also comprises at least one battery cell monomer arranged in the accommodating cavity, and a collecting pipe inlet and a collecting pipe outlet which are arranged on the battery shell, wherein the collecting pipe inlet and the collecting pipe outlet are respectively communicated with the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchange flow passage;

the heat exchange plate is positioned on one side of the battery pack array and is in contact with the surface of one side of each battery pack, a fourth flow channel for heat exchange medium circulation is arranged in the heat exchange plate, and the fourth flow channel is provided with an inlet and an outlet;

the battery pack further comprises a first inlet end and a first outlet end, the collecting pipe inlet of each battery pack and the inlet of the fourth flow channel are communicated with the first inlet end, the collecting pipe outlet of each battery pack and the outlet of the fourth flow channel are communicated with the first outlet end, the first inlet end is used for receiving heat exchange media, and the first outlet end is used for discharging the heat exchange media.

In one embodiment, the predetermined direction is a thickness direction of the battery pack.

In one embodiment, the battery pack further comprises a first row of tubes comprising a first inlet port and a plurality of first outlet ports, the plurality of first outlet ports being in communication with the manifold inlets of the plurality of battery packs, the first inlet port being in communication with the first inlet end, and a second row of tubes comprising a second outlet port and a plurality of second inlet ports, the second inlet port being in communication with the manifold outlets of the battery packs, the second outlet port being in communication with the first outlet end.

In one embodiment, a first valve is disposed between the first inlet port and the first inlet port, and the first valve is used for closing or opening the communication between the first inlet port and the first inlet port under the control of the control module.

In one embodiment, a second valve is disposed between the inlet of the fourth channel of the heat exchange plate and the first inlet end, and the second valve is used for switching off or switching on the communication between the inlet of the fourth channel of the heat exchange plate and the first inlet end under the control of the control module.

In one embodiment, the control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve and the second valve to be in communication such that the first inlet port is in communication with at least one of the first inlet port and the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate.

In one embodiment, the number of the heat exchange plates is two, the two heat exchange plates are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the battery pack array along the height direction of the battery pack, the number of the second valves is two, the two heat exchange plates correspond to the two second valves one to one, the inlet of the fourth flow channel of each heat exchange plate is communicated with the first inlet end through the corresponding second valve, and the control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve and the two second valves to be conducted, so that the first inlet end is communicated with at least one of the first inlet end and the fourth flow channel inlet of the heat exchange plate.

In one embodiment, the control module is configured to control the first valve and the two second valves to be opened in case the temperature and/or pressure in the receiving chamber of the at least one battery reaches a preset value.

In one embodiment of the method of the present invention,

the accommodating cavity is a closed accommodating cavity, and at least part of space in the accommodating cavity forms a heat exchange flow channel; or,

the battery pack further comprises a first heat exchange structural member arranged in the accommodating cavity, a second flow channel for heat exchange medium circulation is arranged in the first heat exchange structural member, and the heat exchange flow channel comprises the second flow channel.

As a second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a vehicle including the battery pack in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

According to the technical scheme of the embodiment of the disclosure, not only can the thermal management of the battery pack be realized, but also the thermal management efficiency can be improved, and the energy waste is avoided.

The foregoing summary is provided for the purpose of description only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of the present disclosure will be readily apparent by reference to the drawings and following detailed description.

Drawings

In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar parts or elements throughout the several views unless otherwise specified. The figures are not necessarily to scale. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only some embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are not to be considered limiting of its scope.

Fig. 1A is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a schematic view of the internal structure of the battery pack of FIG. 1A in one embodiment;

fig. 2A is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is an exploded view of the battery pack shown in FIG. 2A;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of the internal structure of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged schematic view of portion A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of portion B of FIG. 3;

fig. 5 is a schematic exploded view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 6A is a schematic view of an inner structure of a receiving cavity in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 6B is a schematic view of an inner structure of a receiving cavity in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the portion C of FIG. 6B;

fig. 8 is an exploded view schematically illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 9 is a schematic view of the internal structure of a containing cavity in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 10A is a schematic structural diagram of a cell unit;

fig. 10B is another schematic diagram of a cell unit;

fig. 10C is a schematic structural diagram of another battery cell;

fig. 11 is a schematic plan view illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 12 is an exploded view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a piping connection of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of a circuit connection of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

Description of reference numerals:

10. a battery pack; 11. a battery case; 111. a first cover plate; 112. a second cover plate; 113. a housing; 114. an inlet of the collecting pipe; 115. an outlet of the collecting pipe; 116. a first pole column; 117. a second pole; 118. an upper cover plate; 121. a battery cell monomer; 122. a connecting strip; 123. connecting ribs; 13. a support plate; 14. a first heat exchange structure; 15. an explosion-proof pressure relief valve; 16. a second heat exchange structure; 20. a battery pack; 21. a battery pack array; 22a/22b, heat exchange plates; 23. a first inlet end; 24. a first outlet end; 25. a first bank of tubes; 251. a first access port; 252. a first discharge port; 26. a second bank of tubes; 261. a second access port; 262. a second discharge port; 27. a second inlet end; 28. a second outlet end; 31. a first valve; 32a/32b, second valve.

Detailed Description

In the following, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

Fig. 1A is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 1B is a schematic internal structural diagram of the battery pack shown in fig. 1A in an embodiment; fig. 2A is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 2B is an exploded structural diagram of the battery pack shown in fig. 2A. The disclosed embodiment provides a battery pack 10. As shown in fig. 1A and 2B, the battery pack 10 includes a battery case 11 and a housing chamber located inside the battery case 11. Illustratively, the receiving cavity may be a closed or closed receiving cavity. The battery pack 10 also includes at least one cell 121 disposed in the receiving cavity. The battery pack 10 further includes a heat exchange medium filled in the receiving chamber. The heat exchange medium is used for exchanging heat with the cell units 121.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of an internal structure of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the number of the battery cells 121 is at least two, and at least two battery cells 121 are arranged in the battery cell string along the length direction. The battery cell units 121 in the same battery cell string are sequentially connected in series. Wherein, the length is the length of the battery cell 121.

Illustratively, the cell unit 121 may be one of a blade battery, a pouch battery, a hard shell battery, and the like. The cell units 121 may generally have three dimensions, which may be sized to the length, height, and thickness of the cell units 121. Herein, the "length direction" refers to a direction in which the length of the cell unit 121 is located; "height direction" refers to a direction in which the height of the cell unit 121 is located; the "thickness direction" refers to a direction in which the thickness of the cell unit 121 is present. In the drawings, X shows a length direction, Y shows a thickness direction, and Z shows a height direction.

It is understood that, in general, the length, height and thickness of the cell unit 121 have the following relationship, length > height > thickness. Because of the largest length dimension, the side surface area of the length is also relatively large.

In the battery pack 10 of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery cell unit 121 is located in the accommodating cavity, and the accommodating cavity is filled with the heat exchange medium, so that the battery cell unit 121 can be soaked in the heat exchange medium, thereby facilitating heat exchange between the battery cell unit 121 and the heat exchange medium, better controlling the temperature of the battery cell unit 121, and improving the heat management effect of the battery pack 10. At least two battery cell monomers 121 are arranged in a battery cell string along the length direction, so that a heat exchange medium can contact with the side where the length of a single battery cell monomer 121 is located and perform heat exchange, the area of heat exchange between the battery cell monomer 121 and the heat exchange medium is increased, the temperature control of the battery cell monomers 121 is better realized, and the heat management effect of the battery pack 10 is further improved.

Illustratively, the heat exchange medium may be an insulating liquid such as silicone oil. The specific material of the heat exchange medium is not limited herein as long as heat exchange between the heat exchange medium and the cell unit 121 can be achieved. For example, when the temperature of the heat exchange medium is greater than the temperature of the cell unit 121, the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the cell unit 121 to conduct heat to the cell unit 121, so that the temperature of the cell unit 121 is raised to a suitable working range. In the case where the temperature of the heat exchange medium is lower than the temperature of the cell unit 121, the heat exchange medium obtains heat from the cell unit 121, so that the temperature of the cell unit 121 is lowered to a suitable operating range.

Illustratively, the cell 121 has a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab. In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the tabs of the battery cells 121 in the same battery string are sequentially connected in series. For example, in the same cell string, the negative electrode tab of the first cell monomer 121 is connected to the positive electrode tab of the second cell monomer 121, the negative electrode tab of the second cell monomer 121 is connected to the positive electrode tab of the third cell monomer 121, and so on, so that the cell monomers 121 in the same cell string are sequentially connected in series. Such a connection mode has made things convenient for the wiring between electric core monomer 121 in the electric core string.

It should be noted that the tabs of the battery cell units 121 in the same battery cell string are not limited to be connected in series in sequence, and each battery cell unit 121 in the same battery cell string may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel as required.

Fig. 4A is an enlarged schematic view of a portion a in fig. 3, and fig. 4B is an enlarged schematic view of a portion B in fig. 3. In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 3 and 4A, a second gap 52 is provided between each cell 121 in the same cell string. Opposite end surfaces of two adjacent battery cells 121 are connected to each other. For example, in fig. 3 and 4A, the right end surface of the first cell 121a1 is disposed opposite to the left end surface of the second cell 121a2, and the right end surface of the first cell 121a1 and the left end surface of the second cell 121a2 are connected to each other.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 3 and 4A, the opposite end surfaces of two adjacent battery cells 121 may be connected to each other through a connecting strip 122. The two connecting bars can be connected by riveting, laser welding, soldering, bolt connection and the like. For example, in fig. 3 and fig. 4A, a first connecting strip 122a is disposed on a right end surface of the first cell 121a1, a second connecting strip 122b is disposed on a left end surface of the second cell 121a2, and the first connecting strip 122a and the second connecting strip 122b are connected by using a bolt.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 1A, 1B and 3, the battery case 11 may include a case 113, and the case 113 extends in a length direction. The battery case 11 may further include a first cover plate 111 and a second cover plate 112 disposed opposite to each other in the length direction, and the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112 are respectively disposed at opposite ends of the case 113 in the length direction. The first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112 close both ends of the case 113, respectively, so that the inside of the case 113 forms a receiving chamber of the battery case 11. The cell units 121 close to the first cover plate 111 are connected to the first cover plate 111, and the cell units 121 close to the second cover plate 112 are connected to the second cover plate 112. The opposite end faces of two adjacent battery cell units 121 are connected to each other. By adopting the connection mode, the connection between the battery cell string and the battery shell 11 can be realized, so that the battery cell string can be fixedly connected to the battery shell 11, and the movement of the battery cell monomer 121 in the battery cell string under the action of a heat exchange medium is avoided. In such a connection manner, the plurality of battery cells 121 may be connected to form a battery cell string outside the accommodating cavity, then the battery cell string is placed in the accommodating cavity, and the battery cells 121 located at two ends of the battery cell string are respectively connected to the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112, so that the assembly efficiency of the battery pack 10 may be improved.

In one embodiment, the cell units 121 adjacent to the cover plate may be connected to the cover plate via the connecting ribs 123. For example, as shown in fig. 3 and fig. 4B, the cell 121 close to the first cover plate 111 may be connected to the first cover plate 111 through a first connection rib 123a, and the cell 121 close to the second cover plate 112 may be connected to the second cover plate 112 through a second connection rib 123B.

In one embodiment, each cell 121 may be connected to the battery case 11 through a support frame. For example, the bottom surface of the battery cell 121 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the battery case 11 through a support bracket.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 3 and 4A, the number of the cell strings in the accommodating cavity is at least two. At least two battery cell strings are arranged into a battery cell row along the thickness direction. For example, in fig. 4A, the

cell strings

121a, 121b, 121c, and 121d are arranged in a cell row along the thickness direction of the cell units 121. In this manner, the volume of the housing chamber is not excessively affected, and the volume of the battery pack 10 is not excessively increased.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 4A, a first gap 51 is provided between adjacent battery cells 121 in the thickness direction. Therefore, the side surfaces of each cell unit 121 in each cell string in the thickness direction can contact with a heat exchange medium to perform heat exchange, and the heat exchange efficiency is improved.

In one embodiment, a cushioning material may be disposed within the first gap 51. Illustratively, the cushioning material may include one of structural adhesive, foam, and the like. It should be noted that, in the process of temperature change of the battery cell unit 121, the battery cell unit 121 may expand or contract, and the buffer material disposed in the first gap may absorb the expansion or contraction of the battery cell unit 121, which is beneficial to stability of the battery cell unit 121 in the accommodating cavity. In the case where the buffer material is provided in the first gap 51, the cell unit 121 located in the middle, for example, the

cell units

121b and 121c in fig. 4A, may contact the heat exchange medium through the bottom surface and the top surface and exchange heat.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 1B, the stack 10 can further include a manifold inlet 114 and a manifold outlet 115, each of the manifold inlet 114 and the manifold outlet 115 being in communication with the receiving cavity. The header inlet 114 and the header outlet 115 are provided on the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112, respectively. It should be noted that the heat exchange medium may enter the accommodating chamber from the header inlet 114, and after entering the accommodating chamber, the heat exchange medium flows to the header outlet 115 along the length direction, and is discharged from the header outlet 115. Due to the arrangement mode, the heat exchange medium flows in the accommodating cavity for a long time, so that the heat exchange medium can be more fully in heat exchange with the contact surface of the battery cell monomer 121, and the heat exchange efficiency is improved.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the battery case 11 may include a case 113 and an upper cover 118 coupled over the case 113, and the manifold inlet 114 and the manifold outlet 115 may be both disposed on the upper cover 118. After the heat exchange medium enters the accommodating cavity from the header inlet 114 until the heat exchange medium is filled in the accommodating cavity, the heat exchange medium is discharged from the header outlet 115.

Illustratively, a conduit may be disposed in the receiving chamber, one end of the conduit communicating with the manifold inlet 114 and the other end of the conduit being located at the bottom of the receiving chamber. Therefore, the heat exchange medium entering from the collecting pipe inlet 114 can reach the bottom of the accommodating cavity through the guide pipe, so that the heat exchange medium is ensured to exchange heat with the surface of the battery cell 121 in the ascending process, and the heat exchange medium entering from the collecting pipe inlet 114 is prevented from being directly discharged from the collecting pipe outlet 115 under the condition that the heat exchange medium is not exchanged heat with the surface of the battery cell 121 under the condition that the heat exchange medium is full of the heat exchange medium.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 2B, the number of the cell units 121 is at least two, and at least two cell units 121 are arranged in a cell row along the thickness direction. The thickness direction is a direction in which the thickness of the cell unit 121 is located. In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 2B, the cell 121 may be connected to the upper cover plate 118 or the bottom of the casing 113, so as to fix the cell 121 to the battery case 11.

In one embodiment, the tabs of the battery cells 121 may be connected in parallel in the thickness direction. The tabs of the battery cells 121 may also be connected in series.

In one embodiment, a first gap is disposed between two adjacent cell units 121 in the thickness direction. Therefore, the side surfaces of each cell unit 121 in the thickness direction in each cell row can contact with a heat exchange medium to perform heat exchange, and the heat exchange efficiency is improved.

In one embodiment, a buffer material is disposed within the first gap. Illustratively, the cushioning material may include one of structural adhesive, foam, and the like.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 1A and fig. 2A, the battery pack 10 may further include a first pole post 116 and a second pole post 117, and one of the first pole post 116 and the second pole post 117 may be a positive pole post and the other may be a negative pole post. The first pole post 116 and the second pole post 117 may be disposed on the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112, respectively, as shown in fig. 1A. The first pole post 116 and the second pole post 117 can be disposed on the same cover plate, for example, the first pole post 116 and the second pole post 117 are both disposed on the upper cover plate 118, as shown in fig. 2A.

In one embodiment, the battery pack 10 may further include an explosion-proof relief valve 15. An explosion-proof relief valve 15 may be provided on the battery case 11 and communicate with the accommodation chamber. The explosion-proof pressure relief valve 15 is used for opening to relieve pressure when the pressure in the accommodating cavity reaches a preset value. Under the condition of electric core monomer 121 thermal runaway, hold intracavity temperature and appear uncontrollable temperature rise, lead to holding intracavity pressure increase, hold under the condition that intracavity pressure reaches the default, explosion-proof relief valve 15 opens, can avoid holding intracavity pressure increase and lead to the safety problem for holding the chamber pressure release, improve group battery 10's security performance.

In one embodiment, the explosion-proof relief valve 15 is provided on the same cover plate as the manifold outlet 115. The header outlet 115 is for discharging the heat exchange medium, and therefore, the pressure of the heat exchange medium near the header outlet 115 is small. The explosion-proof pressure release valve 15 is arranged on the same cover plate with the collecting pipe outlet 115, so that even if the heat exchange medium is discharged through the explosion-proof pressure release valve 15, the discharge pressure of the explosion-proof pressure release valve 15 cannot be greatly influenced, and the safety performance is favorably improved.

Fig. 5 is an exploded schematic view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 6A is a schematic view of an internal structure of a receiving cavity in the battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 6B is a schematic view of an internal structure of a receiving cavity in the battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 7 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion C in fig. 6B.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 5 to 7, the number of the cell units 121 is at least two, and at least two cell units 121 are arranged in a cell row in the thickness direction. As shown in fig. 7, the cell units 121a1, 121b1, 121c1, and 121d1 are arranged in a cell row along the thickness direction of the cell units 121. The battery pack 10 may further include a support plate 13, the support plate 13 being located in the receiving cavity. The support plate 13 is attached to a side surface of at least one cell unit 121. Illustratively, the support plate 13 is attached to a side surface of at least one cell unit 121 in the thickness direction. A first flow passage for accommodating a heat exchange medium is provided in the support plate 13.

In the battery pack 10 of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the support plate 13 may support the battery cell unit 121 attached thereto. Through set up the first runner that is used for holding heat exchange medium in backup pad 13 for heat exchange medium can fill in first runner, and heat exchange medium in the first runner can dispel the heat for electric core monomer 121, avoids electric core monomer 121's the unable heat exchange medium that contacts in side, further improves heat exchange efficiency, improves the thermal management effect to group battery 10.

For example, the first flow channel may be a closed-end flow channel.

For example, the first flow channel may be a conductive first flow channel, that is, the first flow channel has an inlet and an outlet, and the heat exchange medium enters from the inlet and is discharged from the outlet. Therefore, the heat exchange medium can continuously flow through the first flow channel, and can better exchange heat with the battery cell unit 121 attached to the support plate 13, so that the heat exchange efficiency is improved.

In one embodiment, the first flow channel extends lengthwise and through the support plate 13. According to the first flow passage, when the heat exchange medium flows through the first flow passage, the heat exchange medium can exchange heat with the battery cell unit 121 along the length direction, so that the heat exchange area is increased, and the heat exchange effect is improved.

For example, the number of the first flow channels may be at least two, and at least two first flow channels may be arranged in the height direction.

In one embodiment, the first flow channel may have a winding shape, and an inlet and an outlet of the first flow channel may be respectively disposed at both ends of the support plate 13 in a length direction.

It should be noted that the specific shape and number of the first flow passages may be set as needed as long as the heat exchange medium can flow through the first flow passages.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the battery case 11 may include a case 113 and an upper cover 118, and the upper cover 118 is positioned above the case 113 and is hermetically connected to the case 113. The manifold inlet 114 and the manifold outlet 115 are both disposed on the upper cover plate 118. The first flow channel in the support plate 13 extends in the height direction and penetrates the support plate 13. In the supporting plate 13, when the heat exchange medium reaches the bottom of the accommodating chamber from the header inlet 114 and gradually rises from the bottom, the heat exchange medium may flow through the first flow channel and exchange heat between the supporting plate 13 and the contact surface of the cell unit 121. Illustratively, the number of the first flow channels may be at least two, and at least two of the first flow channels may be arranged in a length direction. In one embodiment, the first flow channel may have a winding shape, and an inlet and an outlet of the first flow channel may be respectively disposed at upper and lower ends of the support plate 13 in a height direction. Here, the "height direction" refers to a direction in which the height of the cell unit 121 is located.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 5 and fig. 6A and 6B, the support plate 13 may be disposed between the adjacent cell units 121 in the thickness direction. With such a structure, the larger side surface of each cell unit 121 can exchange heat with a heat exchange medium, so that the heat exchange efficiency is further improved. In addition, with such a structure, the support plate 13 can isolate two adjacent battery cell units 121 in the thickness direction, so that the battery cell units 121 are prevented from diffusing to the adjacent battery cell units 121 when thermal runaway occurs in one battery cell unit 121, and thermal diffusion is avoided.

In one embodiment, the support plate 13 may be disposed between the cell row and the battery case 11 in the thickness direction. In the battery pack 20, a plurality of battery packs 10 may be arranged in order in the thickness direction. The supporting plate 13 is arranged between the battery cell row and the battery shell 11 along the thickness direction, which is equivalent to that the supporting plate 13 is arranged between the two battery packs 10, the supporting plate 13 can isolate the battery cell row in the two adjacent battery packs 10, the heat in one battery pack 10 is prevented from being diffused into the adjacent battery pack 10, the heat diffusion between the battery packs 10 is avoided, and the service life of the battery pack 20 can be prolonged.

In one embodiment, the supporting plate 13 may be connected to the battery case 11, and the single cells 121 may be fixed by the supporting plate 13.

In one embodiment, the cell 121 is connected to the battery case 11 to fix the cell 121.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 6B and 7, at least two battery cells 121 are arranged in a battery cell string along the length direction. Each cell unit 121 in the same cell string is sequentially connected in series, and the support plate 13 is attached to the side surface of each cell unit 121 in at least one cell string. For example, in fig. 6B and 7, the

cell strings

121a, 121B, 121c, and 121d, and the cell units 121 located in the cell string 121a are sequentially connected in series. Backup pad 13 is located between electric core cluster 121b and electric core cluster 121c, and backup pad 13 and the side of each electric core monomer 121 in electric core cluster 121b laminate mutually, and backup pad 13 and the side of each electric core monomer 121 in electric core cluster 121c laminate mutually. Therefore, the whole cell string can be fixed by the supporting plate 13, and a heat exchange medium flowing through the supporting plate 13 can exchange heat with each cell unit 121 in the cell string to adjust the temperature of each cell unit 121 in the cell string.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 6B and 7, the support plate 13 is disposed between adjacent cell strings in the thickness direction. Therefore, one support plate 13 can provide support for two battery cell strings, and the heat exchange medium in the support plate 13 can exchange heat with each battery cell 121 in the two battery cell strings simultaneously, so that the number of the support plates 13 is reduced, and the cost is reduced.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 6B and 7, one support plate 13 is provided every two cell strings in the thickness direction. For example, fig. 6B schematically illustrates front, rear, left, and right directions, and in fig. 6B, the support plate 13 is disposed between the cell string 121B and the cell string 121c, so that the forward side of each cell 121 in the cell string 121a is exposed to the heat exchange medium and is in contact with the heat exchange medium for heat exchange; the backward side of each cell unit 121 in the cell string 121b is attached to the support plate 13 for heat exchange; the forward side surfaces of the battery cell monomers 121 in the battery cell string 121c are attached to the support plate 13 for heat exchange; the rearward side of each cell 121 in the cell string 121d is exposed to the heat exchange medium and is in contact with the heat exchange medium for heat exchange. In such a way, each cell unit 121 has a large side surface for heat exchange, so that the temperature management effect is improved, the number of the support plates 13 can be reduced, and the cost is reduced.

The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a battery pack, and the battery pack may include the battery pack in any one of the above embodiments.

In the related art, the battery pack comprises a battery pack shell, all the battery cell monomers are located in the battery pack shell, a heat exchange medium is filled in the battery pack shell, and the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the battery cell monomers to realize temperature control. According to the battery pack, the battery pack shell needs to contain all the single battery cells, so that the volume of the battery pack shell is large, the heat exchange medium filled in the battery pack shell is very much, the weight of the battery pack is greatly increased, and the waste of the heat exchange medium is also caused.

In the embodiment of the disclosure, a small number of electric core monomers are accommodated in the accommodating cavity of the battery pack, the accommodating cavity volume is small, the filled heat exchange medium is less, the weight of the battery pack is small, and the battery pack is convenient to carry and install. Moreover, the heat exchange medium in the accommodating cavity can adjust the temperature of a small number of battery cell monomers more easily, and the heat management efficiency is improved.

The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a battery pack, which includes a battery case and a receiving cavity located in the battery case. The battery pack further comprises a first heat exchange structure and at least one battery cell which are arranged in the accommodating cavity. And a second flow passage for circulating heat exchange media is arranged in the first heat exchange structural part. The stack also includes a manifold inlet and a manifold outlet. The collecting pipe inlet and the collecting pipe outlet are arranged on the battery shell, and the inlet and the outlet of the second flow channel are communicated with the collecting pipe inlet and the collecting pipe outlet respectively. The first heat exchange structural member is attached to the side face of at least one battery cell monomer, so that the first heat exchange structural member can exchange heat with the battery cell monomer to adjust the temperature of the battery cell monomer.

In one embodiment, the number of the battery cell units is at least two, and the at least two battery cell units are sequentially arranged along the thickness direction. The first heat exchange structural member may be located between two adjacent battery cell monomers, and is attached to the surfaces of the two battery cell monomers.

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 9 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a receiving cavity in the battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 10A is a schematic structural diagram of a single battery cell, fig. 10B is another schematic structural diagram of a single battery cell, fig. 10C is a schematic structural diagram of another single battery cell, and in fig. 10B and 10C, the first heat exchange structural member 14 is disposed in the hollow cavity of each battery cell 121.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 8 and 9, the battery pack 10 includes a battery case 11 and a receiving cavity in the battery case 11. The battery pack 10 further includes at least one cell 121 and a first heat exchange structure 14 disposed in the receiving cavity. As shown in fig. 10A, the cell unit 121 includes a cell unit body 1211 and a hollow cavity 1212 disposed in the cell unit body 1211. The first heat exchange structure 14 is located in the hollow cavity. A second flow passage for circulating the heat exchange medium is arranged in the first heat exchange structural member 14. The stack 10 also includes a manifold inlet 114 and a manifold outlet 115. The collecting pipe inlet 114 and the collecting pipe outlet 115 are both arranged on the battery shell 11, and the inlet and the outlet of the second flow channel are respectively communicated with the collecting pipe inlet 114 and the collecting pipe outlet 115.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the temperature of the center of the cell unit 121 is higher during operation, and the temperature of the center is difficult to adjust by heat exchange.

In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery cell 121 includes a battery cell body 1211 and a hollow cavity 1212 disposed in the battery cell body 1211, and the first heat exchange structural member 14 is located in the hollow cavity 1212. With such a structure, the heat exchange medium of the second flow channel in the first heat exchange structural member 14 can exchange heat with the middle part of the battery cell unit 121, so as to better adjust the temperature of the middle part of the battery cell unit 121, thereby better adjusting the overall temperature of the battery cell unit 121, and improving the heat management efficiency.

In one embodiment, the first heat exchange structure 14 is matched with the hollow cavity 1212, so that the first heat exchange structure 14 is attached to the inner side surface of the cell body 1211 inside the hollow cavity 1212. With such a structure, the heat exchange medium in the first heat exchange structure 14 can better exchange heat with the middle part of the cell unit 121, and the heat exchange efficiency is further improved.

In one embodiment, the cell unit 121 may be a core battery, and the cross section of the hollow cavity 1212 of the cell unit 121 is similar to an ellipse. The cross-sectional shape of the first heat exchange structure 14 is similar to an ellipse and matches the shape of the hollow cavity. Therefore, after the first heat exchange structure 14 is placed in the hollow cavity 1212, the outer side surface of the first heat exchange structure 14 may contact and attach to the hollow cavity, so that the first heat exchange structure 14 and the cell unit 121 may perform heat exchange better.

It is understood that, in other embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the cell unit 121 is not limited to being similar to an oval or an ellipse, the cross-sectional shape of the hollow cavity is not limited to being similar to an oval or an ellipse, and the cross-sectional shape of the cell unit 121 and the cross-sectional shape of the hollow cavity may also be other shapes, such as a rectangle, a circle, and the like. The cross-sectional shape of the cell unit 121 and the cross-sectional shape of the hollow cavity may be set as required.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 10A, the hollow cavity may be disposed along a height direction of the battery cell 121, that is, a direction of a central axis of the hollow cavity is parallel to the height direction. Illustratively, in the height direction, one end of the hollow cavity is an opening, and the other end is a closed end. Illustratively, the hollow cavity penetrates through the cell unit body 1211 in the height direction. The first heat exchange structure 14 may be placed into the hollow cavity from an opening of the hollow cavity.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 10C, the hollow cavity is disposed along a length direction of the battery cell 121, that is, a central axis of the hollow cavity is parallel to the length direction. Illustratively, the hollow cavity penetrates through the cell body 1211 in the length direction.

The hollow cavities are arranged along the length direction, so that after the first heat exchange structural member 14 is placed in the hollow cavity 1212, the contact area between the first heat exchange structural member 14 and the battery cell is larger, and the heat exchange efficiency is further improved.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the length direction may be a direction in which the length of the battery cell 121 is located.

In one embodiment, referring to fig. 8, in the battery pack 10, the number of the cell units 121 may be at least two, and at least two cell units 121 are arranged in the thickness direction and/or the length direction. The number of the first heat exchange structures 14 may be the same as that of the battery cells 121, and corresponds to one another. Each of the first heat exchange structure members 14 is located in the corresponding hollow chamber. The inlet and outlet of the second flow passage of each first heat exchange structure 14 are respectively communicated with the header inlet 114 and the header outlet 115. The width direction is a direction of the width of the battery cell 121, and the thickness direction is a direction of the thickness of the battery cell 121.

The tabs of each cell unit 121 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in combination of series and parallel.

In one embodiment, referring to fig. 9, the number of the cell units 121 is at least two, and at least two cell units 121 are arranged in the cell string along the length direction. The first heat exchange structure 14 sequentially penetrates through the hollow cavities of the battery cells 121 in the same battery string. The length is the length of the battery cell 121. With such a structure, one first heat exchange structural member 14 can exchange heat with each cell unit 121 in one cell string, so that the number of the first heat exchange structural members 14 is reduced, the assembly is facilitated, the heat management efficiency is improved, and the cost is reduced.

Illustratively, the tabs of the battery cells 121 in the same battery string are sequentially connected in series.

In one embodiment, the number of the cell strings may be at least two, and at least two cell strings may be arranged in the thickness or width direction.

In one embodiment, each cell 121 may be connected to the battery case 11 in order to fix the cell 121. For example, the cell 121 may be fixed by the first heat exchange structure 14.

Fig. 11 is a schematic plan view illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, as shown in fig. 11, the battery pack 10 may further include a second heat exchange structure 16 disposed in the accommodating cavity, where the second heat exchange structure 16 is located outside the cell unit 121 and is attached to an outer side surface of the body of the cell unit 121. A third flow channel for flowing heat exchange medium is arranged in the second heat exchange structural member 16. The inlet and outlet of the third flow passage are in communication with the header inlet 114 and the header outlet 115, respectively.

The heat exchange medium in the third flow channel may exchange heat with the cell unit 121 through the second heat exchange structure 16, and the second heat exchange structure 16 is combined with the first heat exchange structure 14, so as to exchange heat between the inside and the outside of the cell unit 121, better control and manage the temperature of the cell unit 121, and further improve the heat management efficiency of the battery pack 10.

For example, the cross-sectional shape and the overall shape of the second flow channel and the third flow channel may be set as required, and are not particularly limited herein.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 9, the battery case 11 includes a first cover plate 111 and a second cover plate 112 disposed opposite to each other in a length direction, and the header inlet 114 and the header outlet 115 are disposed on the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112, respectively.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 8, the battery housing 11 includes an upper cover plate 118, and the manifold inlet 114 and the manifold outlet 115 are both disposed on the upper cover plate 118.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 8 and 9, the battery pack 10 further includes an explosion-proof relief valve 15. The explosion-proof pressure relief valve 15 is arranged on the shell of the battery cell unit 121 and is communicated with the accommodating cavity. The containing cavity is a closed containing cavity, and the explosion-proof pressure relief valve 15 is used for opening to relieve pressure when the pressure in the containing cavity reaches a preset value.

In one embodiment, the explosion proof relief valve 15 is disposed on the same side of the cell housing 11 as the manifold outlet 115.

In one embodiment, the casing of the cell unit 121 may be an aluminum-plastic film or a metal casing, and the casing of the cell unit 121 is a sealing structure.

In one embodiment, the material of the battery case 11 may be one of metal, insulating plastic, composite material, and the like. The metal may be aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel alloy, stainless steel or other metal material. The plastic can be nylon or composite material.

In one embodiment, the battery housing 11 may include a housing 113 and a cover plate for closing the housing 113, and the housing 113 may be an integrally formed part, and the cover plate and the housing 113 are sealed by a sealing member. The post of the battery pack 10 is hermetically connected with the battery shell 11, and the post of the battery pack 10 is hermetically connected with the battery shell 11 in an insulating manner, so that the sealing performance of the accommodating cavity is ensured.

The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a battery pack 20, and the battery pack 20 includes the battery pack 10 in any embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 12 is an exploded view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 13 is a schematic view of a pipe connection of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 14 is a schematic view of a pipe connection of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12, the battery pack 20 may include an array of battery packs 10 and at least one heat exchange plate 22, the array of battery packs 10 including a plurality of battery packs 10, the plurality of battery packs 10 being arranged in a predetermined direction.

As shown in fig. 12, the battery pack 10 includes a battery case 11 and a housing chamber inside the battery case 11. The accommodating cavity is internally provided with a heat exchange flow passage for heat exchange medium circulation. Referring to fig. 1A-7, the battery pack 10 further includes at least one cell 121, a manifold inlet 114, and a manifold outlet 115. At least one cell 121 is disposed in the accommodation cavity. The header inlet 114 and the header outlet 115 are provided on the cell case 11, and the header inlet 114 and the header outlet 115 are respectively communicated with the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchange flow passage.

As shown in fig. 12, the heat exchange plate 22 is positioned at one side of the array of the cell stacks 10 and contacts one side surface of each cell stack 10. A fourth flow channel for the circulation of a heat exchange medium is arranged in the heat exchange plate 22, and the fourth flow channel has an inlet (Inport) and an outlet (outlet).

As shown in fig. 13, the battery pack 20 further includes a first inlet end 23 and a first outlet end 24, the header inlet 114 and the inlet of the fourth flow channel of each cell group 10 are both communicated with the first inlet end 23, and the header outlet 115 and the outlet of the fourth flow channel of each cell group 10 are both communicated with the first outlet end 24. The first inlet end 23 is for receiving a heat exchange medium and the first outlet end 24 is for discharging the heat exchange medium.

In the battery pack 20 in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat exchange medium entering the accommodating cavity may directly perform thermal management (e.g., cooling or heating) on the cell 121, and the heat exchange medium entering the fourth flow channel of the heat exchange plate 22 may perform thermal management on the battery pack 10 from the outside. During the running process of the vehicle, at least one of the modes can be selected according to the running conditions of the vehicle to perform thermal management on the battery pack 20, for example, in a good working condition state, the mode that the heat exchange medium enters the heat exchange plate 22 can be selected to perform thermal management on the battery pack 20; under the condition of severe working conditions, the mode that the heat exchange medium enters the accommodating cavity can be selected to carry out thermal management on the battery pack 20; in severe conditions, the heat exchange medium can be simultaneously selected to enter the heat exchange plate 22 and the heat exchange medium can enter the accommodating cavity to perform thermal management on the battery pack 20. In this way, not only can the thermal management of the battery pack 20 be realized, but also the thermal management efficiency can be improved, and the energy waste can be avoided.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12, the preset direction may be a thickness direction of the battery pack 10. That is, a plurality of battery packs 10 are arranged in an array of battery packs 10 in the thickness direction of the battery packs 10. Such an arrangement can reduce the size of the battery pack 20, which is advantageous for the miniaturization of the battery pack 20.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12, the battery pack 20 may further include a first row of tubes 25 and a second row of tubes 26. The first exhaust duct 25 includes a first inlet opening 251 and a plurality of first outlet openings 252, the plurality of first outlet openings 252 communicating with the manifold inlets 114 of the plurality of stacks 10. For example, the number of the first outlet ports 252 may be the same as the number of the cell stacks 10, and the plurality of first outlet ports 252 communicate with the manifold inlets 114 of the plurality of cell stacks 10 in a one-to-one correspondence. The first inlet port 251 is in communication with the first inlet end 23.

The second bank of tubes 26 includes a second discharge port 262 and a plurality of second inlet ports 261, the plurality of second inlet ports 261 communicating with the manifold outlets 115 of the plurality of stacks 10. For example, the number of the second inlet ports 261 may be the same as the number of the stacks 10, and the plurality of second inlet ports 261 communicate with the manifold outlets 115 of the plurality of stacks 10 in one-to-one correspondence. The second discharge port 262 communicates with the first outlet end 24.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 13, a first valve 31 is disposed between the first inlet port 251 and the first inlet end 23. The first valve 31 is used to close or open the first inlet port to the first inlet port 23 under the control of the control module. For example, when the first valve 31 is closed under the control of the control module, the communication between the first inlet port and the first inlet port 23 is closed, and the heat exchange medium cannot enter the accommodating cavity of each battery pack 10 through the first discharge pipe 25; when the first valve 31 is turned on under the control of the control module, the first inlet port communicates with the first inlet port 23, and the heat exchange medium can enter the accommodating cavity of each battery pack 10 through the first discharge pipe 25.

By providing the first valve 31, a selection of the mode of entry of the heat exchange medium into the receiving chamber can be achieved.

In one embodiment, a second valve 32 is provided between the inlet of the fourth flow channel of the heat exchange plate 22 and the first inlet end 23. The second valve 32 is used to close or open the communication between the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate 22 and the first inlet end 23 under the control of the control module. For example, when the second valve 32 is closed under the control of the control module, the communication between the fourth flow channel inlet and the first inlet end 23 is closed, and the heat exchange medium cannot enter the fourth flow channel of the heat exchange plate 22; when the second valve 32 is turned on under the control of the control module, the fourth channel inlet is communicated with the first inlet end 23, and the heat exchange medium can enter the fourth channel of the heat exchange plate 22. By providing the second valve 32, a selection of the mode of entry of the heat exchange medium into the heat exchange plates 22 can be achieved.

In one embodiment, the control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve 31 and the second valve 32 to be in communication such that the first inlet end 23 is in communication with at least one of the first inlet port, the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate 22. At least one of the first valve 31 and the second valve 32 can be controlled to be conducted by the control module, so that the thermal management mode of the battery pack 20 can be selected according to the working condition.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12 and 13, the number of heat exchange plates 22 is two. Two heat exchange plates 22 are respectively disposed at opposite sides of the array of the stack 10 in the height direction of the stack 10. The number of the second valves 32 is two, and two heat exchange plates 22 correspond to two second valves 32 one by one. The inlet of the fourth flow passage of each heat exchanger plate 22 communicates with the first inlet end 23 through a corresponding second valve 32. The control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve 31 and the two second valves 32 to be conducted such that the first inlet end 23 is communicated with at least one of the first inlet port and the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate 22.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 13, the two heat exchange plates 22 may be a heat exchange plate 22a and a heat exchange plate 22b, respectively, and the two second valves 32 may be a second valve 32a and a second valve 32b, respectively. The inlet of the fourth flow path of the heat exchange plate 22a is communicated with the first inlet end 23 through the second valve 32a, and the inlet of the fourth flow path of the heat exchange plate 22b is communicated with the first inlet end 23 through the second valve 32b. The control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve 31, the second valve 32a, and the second valve 32b to be conducted such that the first inlet end 23 is communicated with at least one of the first inlet port, the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate 22a, and the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate 22b.

The battery pack 20 of the embodiment of the present disclosure, through setting up the first valve 31, the second valve 32 and the control module, can select the thermal management mode of the battery pack 20 according to the operating condition of the vehicle, so that the thermal management mode of the battery pack 20 matches with the operating condition, a better thermal management effect can be obtained, and energy waste can be avoided.

In one embodiment, in the event that the temperature and/or pressure inside the containing chamber of at least one battery pack 10 reaches a preset value, the control module is configured to control the first valve 31 and the two second valves 32 to conduct. Illustratively, the magnitude of the preset value may be set according to the temperature and pressure that the battery pack 20 can withstand. For example, it can be understood that the preset values of temperature and pressure may be the temperature and pressure that the battery pack 20 may bear when the battery pack 10 is in thermal runaway.

When the temperature and/or pressure in the receiving cavity of at least one battery pack 10 reaches a preset value, it indicates that a thermal failure has occurred in at least one battery pack 10. At this time, the control module can control the first valve 31 and the two second valves 32 to be turned on, and the two heat exchange plates 22 and the inside of the battery pack 10 simultaneously cool the battery pack 20, so as to avoid damage.

In one embodiment, the receiving cavity of the battery pack 10 is a closed receiving cavity, such as the battery pack 10 in the embodiment shown in fig. 1A to 7, and at least a portion of the space in the receiving cavity forms a heat exchange flow channel. In this way, the heat exchange medium may directly enter the accommodating cavity, so that the cell unit 121 in the accommodating cavity is immersed in the heat exchange medium, and the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the cell unit 121.

In one embodiment, the battery pack 10 further includes a first heat exchange structure 14 disposed in the receiving cavity, such as the battery pack 10 in the embodiment shown in fig. 8 to 11, a second flow channel for flowing a heat exchange medium is disposed in the first heat exchange structure 14, and the heat exchange flow channel includes the second flow channel. The heat exchange medium enters the second flow channel, and the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the cell units 121 through the first heat exchange structural member 14.

In one embodiment, the battery pack 10 in the battery pack 20 may be the battery pack 10 in any embodiment of the present disclosure.

In one embodiment, the manifold inlet 114 and the manifold outlet 115 are both in communication with the receiving chamber. The inlet of the fourth flow channel in the heat exchange plate 22 communicates with a first inlet port 23, the outlet of the fourth flow channel communicates with a first outlet port 24, the first inlet port 23 is for receiving a heat exchange medium, and the first outlet port 24 is for discharging the heat exchange medium, as shown in fig. 13.

As shown in fig. 14, the battery pack 20 further includes a second inlet end 27 and a second outlet end 28, the manifold inlets 114 each communicating with the second inlet end 27, and the manifold outlets 115 each communicating with the second outlet end 28. The second inlet end 27 is adapted to receive extinguishing medium and the first outlet end 24 is adapted to discharge the output of extinguishing medium.

In the battery pack 20 of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first inlet end 23 is used for receiving a heat exchange medium, the first outlet end 24 is used for discharging the heat exchange medium, and the heat exchange medium entering the heat exchange plate 22 through the first inlet end 23 can exchange heat with each battery pack 10; the second inlet port 27 is used for receiving a fire extinguishing medium, the first outlet port 24 is used for discharging a product of the fire extinguishing medium, and the fire extinguishing medium entering the accommodating cavity of the battery pack 10 through the second inlet port 27 can cool down and extinguish the fire of the cell unit 121 inside the accommodating cavity. The battery pack 20 can not only realize cooling or heating of the battery pack 20, but also extinguish a fire of the battery pack 10 in the battery pack 10 when the battery pack 10 is out of thermal control, so that thermal diffusion of the battery pack 20 is avoided, and the safety performance of the battery pack 20 is further improved.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12 and 14, the battery pack 20 may further include a first row of tubes 25 and a second row of tubes 26. The first exhaust duct 25 includes a first inlet port and a plurality of first outlet ports that communicate with the manifold inlets 114 of the plurality of stacks 10. For example, the number of the first discharge ports may be the same as the number of the cell stacks 10, and a plurality of the first discharge ports communicate with the manifold inlets 114 of a plurality of the cell stacks 10 in a one-to-one correspondence. The first inlet port communicates with the second inlet end 27. Thus, the fire extinguishing medium enters the first bank 25 through the second inlet port 27 and enters the accommodating chamber of the battery pack 10.

The second bank of tubes 26 includes a second discharge port and a plurality of second inlet ports in communication with the manifold outlets 115 of the plurality of stacks 10. For example, the number of the second inlet ports may be the same as the number of the stacks 10, and the plurality of second inlet ports communicate with the manifold outlets 115 of the plurality of stacks 10 in a one-to-one correspondence. The second discharge port communicates with the second outlet end 28. The output of extinguishing medium thus enters the second bank of tubes 26 through the second inlet port and finally exits through the second outlet port 28.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12, the first and second rows of tubes 25, 26 may be disposed on opposite sides of the array of battery packs 10 along the length of the battery packs 10. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the positions of the first row of tubes 25 and the second row of tubes 26 can be set as desired.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12 and 14, the number of the heat exchange plates 22 may be two, and the two heat exchange plates 22 are respectively disposed at opposite sides of the array of the stack 10 in the height direction of the stack 10. The inlet of the fourth flow channel of each heat exchanger plate 22 communicates with a first inlet end 23 and the outlet of the fourth flow channel of each heat exchanger plate 22 communicates with a first outlet end 24. By providing two heat exchange plates 22, the two heat exchange plates 22 can exchange heat with each cell stack 10 from the upper and lower sides, respectively, improving heat exchange efficiency.

In one embodiment, the battery pack 20 further includes two second valves 32. Two heat exchanger plates 22 are in one-to-one correspondence with two second valves 32. The inlet of the fourth flow passage of each heat exchange plate 22 communicates with the first inlet end 23 via a corresponding second valve 32. The second valve 32 is configured to close or open the communication of the fourth channel inlet of the heat exchange plate 22 with the first inlet end 23 under the control of the control module.

In one embodiment, the control module is configured to control the at least one second valve 32 to be in communication such that the first inlet end 23 is in communication with an inlet of a fourth flow channel of the at least one heat exchange plate 22.

In this way, the number of cooling plates that exchange heat with the battery pack 10 can be selected according to the operating conditions by controlling the on and off of the two second valves 32. For example, one of the heat exchange plates 22 may be selected to cool the battery pack 20, or two of the heat exchange plates 22 may be selected to cool the battery pack 20 at the same time.

In one embodiment, referring to the battery packs 10 in the embodiment shown in fig. 1A to 7, in case the temperature and/or pressure in the accommodating chamber of at least one battery pack 10 reaches a preset value, the control module is configured to control the two second valves 32 to be conducted and control the temperature-reducing fire-extinguishing system to provide the fire-extinguishing medium to the second inlet port 27. Illustratively, the preset value may be set according to the temperature and pressure that the battery pack 20 can withstand. For example, it can be understood that the preset values of temperature and pressure may be the temperature and pressure that the battery pack 20 may bear when the battery pack 10 is in thermal runaway.

When the temperature and/or pressure in the receiving cavity of at least one battery pack 10 reaches a preset value, it indicates that a thermal failure has occurred in at least one battery pack 10. At this time, the two second valves 32 can be controlled to be turned on by the control module, the two heat exchange plates 22 simultaneously cool the battery pack 20, and the cooling and fire extinguishing system provides the fire extinguishing medium to the second inlet 27, so that the fire extinguishing medium enters the accommodating cavity of the battery pack 10 to extinguish fire and cool in the accommodating cavity, thereby avoiding damage and further improving the safety performance of the battery pack 20.

In one embodiment, the fire extinguishing medium is one of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, liquid nitrogen, silicone oil, fluorinated liquid, water glycol mixture, and the like. The fire extinguishing medium is not limited to the above-mentioned materials, and may be selected as needed as long as it can achieve the fire extinguishing and temperature lowering performance.

In one embodiment, referring to fig. 3 and fig. 6B, at least two battery cells 121 are disposed in the accommodating cavity, and the at least two battery cells 121 are arranged in a battery cell string along the length direction. The battery case 11 includes a first cover plate 111 and a second cover plate 112 that are opposite to each other along a length direction, the manifold inlet 114 and the manifold outlet 115 are respectively disposed on the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112, and the length direction is a direction in which the lengths of the cell units 121 are located. In such a way, after the fire extinguishing medium enters the accommodating cavity from the collecting pipe inlet 114, the fire extinguishing medium is discharged from the collecting pipe outlet 115, and the collecting pipe inlet 114 and the collecting pipe outlet 115 are respectively arranged on the first cover plate 111 and the second cover plate 112 which are oppositely arranged, so that the discharge of fire extinguishing medium products is facilitated, and the fire extinguishing medium products are prevented from being remained in the accommodating cavity.

The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a vehicle, which includes the battery pack 20 in any embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the description of the present specification, it is to be understood that the term "length direction" refers to a direction in which the length of the single cell of the electric core is located, "height direction" refers to a direction in which the height of the single cell of the electric core is located, and "thickness direction" refers to a direction in which the thickness of the single cell of the electric core is located. The orientations or positional relationships indicated by "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "inner" and "outer" are orientations or positional relationships based on the use of the vehicle, and the orientations or positional relationships indicated by "left" and "right" are orientations or positional relationships based on the drawings, and are only for convenience of describing and simplifying the description, but do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present disclosure, "a plurality" means two or more unless specifically limited otherwise.

In the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," and the like are to be construed broadly and can, for example, be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integral; the connection can be mechanical connection, electrical connection or communication; either directly or indirectly through intervening media, either internally or in any other relationship. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art as appropriate.

In the present disclosure, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may comprise the first and second features being in direct contact, or may comprise the first and second features being in contact, not directly, but via another feature in between. Also, the first feature being "on," "above" and "over" the second feature includes the first feature being directly on and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. The first feature being "under," "beneath," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply meaning that the first feature is at a lesser level than the second feature.

The above disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the disclosure. In order to simplify the present disclosure, specific example components and arrangements are described above. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Moreover, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or reference letters in the various examples, which have been repeated for purposes of simplicity and clarity and do not in themselves dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or arrangements discussed.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising a battery pack array and at least one heat exchange plate, said battery pack array comprising a plurality of battery packs, said plurality of battery packs being arranged in a predetermined direction;

the battery pack further comprises a first inlet end and a first outlet end, the collecting pipe inlet of each battery pack and the inlet of the fourth flow passage are communicated with the first inlet end, the collecting pipe outlet of each battery pack and the outlet of the fourth flow passage are communicated with the first outlet end, the first inlet end is used for receiving a heat exchange medium, and the first outlet end is used for discharging the heat exchange medium.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the preset direction is a thickness direction of the battery pack.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a first row of tubes comprising a first inlet port and a plurality of first outlet ports in communication with a plurality of manifold inlets of the stacks, the first inlet port in communication with the first inlet port, and a second row of tubes comprising a second outlet port and a plurality of second inlet ports in communication with a manifold outlet of the stacks, the second outlet port in communication with the first outlet port.

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein a first valve is disposed between the first inlet port and the first inlet port, the first valve being configured to close or open communication between the first inlet port and the first inlet port under control of a control module.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein a second valve is disposed between the inlet of the fourth channel of the heat exchange plate and the first inlet end, and the second valve is configured to close or open the communication between the inlet of the fourth channel of the heat exchange plate and the first inlet end under the control of the control module.

6. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein the control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve and the second valve to be in communication such that the first inlet port is in communication with at least one of the first inlet port and the fourth flow channel inlet of the heat exchange plate.

7. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the number of the heat exchange plates is two, two heat exchange plates are respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the battery pack array along the height direction of the battery pack, the number of the second valves is two, the two heat exchange plates correspond to the two second valves one to one, an inlet of a fourth flow channel of each heat exchange plate is communicated with the first inlet port through the corresponding second valve, and the control module is configured to control at least one of the first valve and the two second valves to be conducted, so that the first inlet port is communicated with at least one of the first inlet port and the fourth flow channel inlet of the heat exchange plate.

8. The battery pack according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the control module is configured to control the first valve and the two second valves to be opened in case the temperature and/or pressure in the accommodating chamber of at least one of the battery packs reaches a preset value.

9. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the accommodating cavity is a closed accommodating cavity, and at least part of space in the accommodating cavity forms the heat exchange flow channel; or,

the battery pack further comprises a first heat exchange structural part arranged in the accommodating cavity, a second flow channel for heat exchange medium circulation is arranged in the first heat exchange structural part, and the heat exchange flow channel comprises the second flow channel.

10. A vehicle characterized by comprising the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9.