Battery cooling control apparatus and battery cooling control method

Abstract

A battery cooling control apparatus and a battery cooling control method are provided. The battery cooling control apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a cooling network provided for cooling a plurality of battery blocks; and a control unit for determining a target refrigerant path according to battery monitoring information indicating a state parameter of each of the plurality of battery blocks, and controlling the cooling network such that the target refrigerant path is formed between the inlet and the outlet of the cooling network.

Description

Battery cooling control device and battery cooling control method

[0001] The present invention relates to battery cooling control technology for preventing heat transfer hazards and rapid fire suppression.

[0002] The present application is a priority application for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0136609 filed on October 8, 2024, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0030079 filed on March 7, 2025, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0124215 filed on September 2, 2025, and all contents disclosed in the specifications and drawings of said applications are incorporated into the present application by reference.

[0003] Recently, as the demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has increased rapidly, and the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites has accelerated, research on high-performance batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging is actively underway.

[0004] Currently commercialized batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium batteries. Among these, lithium batteries are gaining attention for their advantages, such as the ability to freely charge and discharge with almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] Battery packs for battery systems requiring high capacity and high voltage (e.g., electric vehicles or energy storage systems) may contain several to hundreds of battery cells connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.

[0006] A structure in which battery cells are closely packed within a limited space in a battery pack is advantageous for achieving high energy density, but it has the disadvantage that the abnormal condition of a few battery cells can easily have an adverse effect on the remaining battery cells. For example, if thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery cell due to overheating or an internal short circuit, so-called 'thermal propagation' can occur, causing thermal runaway to spread sequentially to other adjacent battery cells.

[0007] The present invention is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide an apparatus and method capable of effectively suppressing the risk of heat transfer of a plurality of battery blocks by adjusting the refrigerant path between the inlet and outlet of a cooling network according to the individual conditions of a plurality of battery blocks included in a battery pack.

[0008] Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be understood from the following description and will become more clearly apparent from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0009] A battery cooling control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cooling network provided to enable individual heat exchange with a plurality of battery blocks, and a control unit that determines a target refrigerant path according to battery monitoring information representing state parameters of each of the plurality of battery blocks, and controls the cooling network such that the target refrigerant path is formed between an inlet and an outlet of the cooling network.

[0010] The cooling network may include a plurality of refrigerant pipes interconnected through a plurality of branch nodes positioned to correspond to the plurality of battery blocks, and a plurality of electronic valves individually installed in the connecting portions provided in the plurality of branch nodes.

[0011] The control unit may be configured to determine the target refrigerant path based on identification information of each abnormal battery block among the plurality of battery blocks. The abnormal battery block may be a battery block among the plurality of battery blocks that has a risk of thermal runaway.

[0012] The above target refrigerant path may be a refrigerant path passing through each branch node located to correspond to each abnormal battery block among a plurality of refrigerant paths that can be provided by the cooling network.

[0013] The above target refrigerant path may be a refrigerant path passing through each branch node located to correspond to each abnormal battery block and each adjacent battery block among a plurality of refrigerant paths available by the cooling network. The above adjacent battery block may be a battery block adjacent to the above abnormal battery block.

[0014] The battery cooling control device may further include a refrigerant circulation unit that induces the circulation of refrigerant through the inlet and outlet of the cooling network.

[0015] The control unit may be configured to execute at least one of a first extinguishing operation that increases the amount of refrigerant flowing into the inlet of the cooling network and a second extinguishing operation that decreases the amount of refrigerant flowing out from the outlet of the cooling network when it is determined that the cooling network is damaged.

[0016] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention includes the battery cooling control device.

[0017] An electric vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes the battery pack.

[0018] A battery cooling control method according to another aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: determining a target refrigerant path according to battery monitoring information representing state parameters of each of a plurality of battery blocks; and controlling a cooling network such that the target refrigerant path is formed between an inlet and an outlet of a cooling network provided to enable individual heat exchange with the plurality of battery blocks.

[0019] The step of determining the target refrigerant path may be performed based on identification information of each abnormal battery block among the plurality of battery blocks. The abnormal battery block may be a battery block among the plurality of battery blocks that has a risk of thermal runaway.

[0020] The above target refrigerant path may be a refrigerant path passing through each branch node located to correspond to each abnormal battery block among a plurality of refrigerant paths available to the cooling network.

[0021] The above target refrigerant path may be a refrigerant path passing through each branch node located to correspond to each abnormal battery block and each adjacent battery block among a plurality of refrigerant paths available to the cooling network. The adjacent battery block may be a battery block adjacent to the abnormal battery block.

[0022] The battery cooling control method described above may further include the step of executing at least one of a first extinguishing operation to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing into the inlet of the cooling network and a second extinguishing operation to decrease the amount of refrigerant flowing out from the outlet of the cooling network when it is determined that the cooling network is damaged based on flow rate information of a refrigerant circulation unit that induces the circulation of refrigerant through the inlet and outlet of the cooling network.

[0023] A computer-readable medium according to another aspect of the present invention can record a program for executing the battery cooling control method on a computer.

[0024] According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerant path from the inlet to the outlet of the cooling network can be controlled according to the individual state of a plurality of battery blocks included in the battery pack.

[0025] According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, in a situation where no risk of thermal runaway is detected in any of the plurality of battery blocks, a refrigerant path for uniformly cooling all battery blocks can be formed within the cooling network.

[0026] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, in a situation where a risk of thermal runaway of at least one battery block among a plurality of battery blocks is detected, a refrigerant path for intensively cooling only some of the plurality of battery blocks can be formed within the cooling network.

[0027] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a damaged area (e.g., a point damaged by high heat of a battery pack) has occurred in the cooling network, the leakage of refrigerant to the outside of the cooling network through the damaged area can be intentionally accelerated. The leaked refrigerant acts directly on the battery pack as a fire extinguishing agent, thereby helping to mitigate the severity of the fire at the high-temperature point of the battery pack that caused the damage to the cooling network.

[0028] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0029] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an electric vehicle including a battery cooling control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 is a drawing referenced to explain an example of the coupling relationship between the battery block and the sensing unit shown in Figure 1.

[0032] FIGS. 3 to 5 are drawings referenced to schematically explain the configuration of a cooling network according to the present invention.

[0033] Figure 6 is a diagram referenced to illustrate a standard refrigerant path that can be provided in a cooling network.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a battery cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of a set of routines that may be included in step S710 of FIG. 7.

[0036] FIG. 9 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of a set of routines that may be included in step S820 of FIG. 8.

[0037] Figures 10 and 11 are drawings referenced to explain the method of Figure 9.

[0038] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerant circulation unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 13 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a battery cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIGS. 14 and 15 are drawings referenced to illustrate an exemplary situation in which refrigerant leaks into a battery pack through a broken part of the cooling network.

[0041] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0042] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0043] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used for the purpose of distinguishing one of the various components from the rest, and are not used to limit the components by such terms.

[0044] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "<unit>" as used in the specification refer to a unit that performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0045] Additionally, throughout the specification, when it is said that a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected," but also cases where they are "indirectly connected" with other components in between.

[0046] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an electric vehicle including a battery cooling control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, the electric vehicle (1) may include a battery pack (10), a relay (20), a vehicle controller (2), a power converter (30), an electric load (40), a battery management system (100), and a battery cooling control device (200). The electric vehicle (1) may further include peripheral devices (50).

[0048] The battery pack (10) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N , N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2), includes a first charge / discharge terminal (P1) and a second charge / discharge terminal (P2).

[0049] In this specification, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N In explaining the contents common to each, the symbol 'BB' or 'BB' for the battery block k It is decided to assign '. k is a natural number less than or equal to N.

[0050] Multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) can be connected to each other in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel between the first charge / discharge terminal (P1) and the second charge / discharge terminal (P2).

[0051] A battery block (BB) includes at least one battery cell and may be referred to by other terms such as 'cell unit', 'cell group', 'cell array', 'cell assembly', etc.

[0052] A battery block (BB) may include a single battery module or two or more battery modules. If a battery block (BB) includes multiple battery modules, the multiple battery modules may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. Each battery module may include a collection of two or more battery cells. If a battery module includes multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.

[0053] In one embodiment, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of ) may be provided with a separate case in which the battery cell (BC) included therein is housed. In this case, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) can be physically separated from each other by each case and can be individually stored or separated in the pack case of the battery pack (10).

[0054] In another embodiment, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of ) can be stored directly in the pack case of the battery pack (10) without a separate case. That is, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of the following comprises: a layout of the battery pack (10), circuit connection with the battery management system (100), and a plurality of sensing circuits (SB1~SB N Considering the respective sensing ranges, etc., the battery cells (BC) directly housed in the battery pack (10) may be grouped one or more at a time, either arbitrarily or according to specific criteria. In this case, multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N In terms of the fact that the battery cells (BC) are directly housed in the pack case with the case omitted from each of them, the battery pack (10) may have a Cell To Pack (CTP) structure.

[0055] In this specification, a battery cell refers to a basic unit of a storage element capable of independent charging and discharging, and is not particularly limited as long as it is rechargeable, such as a lithium-ion cell, for example.

[0056] A relay (20) is installed in a power line connecting a battery pack (10) and charging / discharging terminals (P1, P2). In FIG. 1, the relay (20) is illustrated as being connected between the positive terminal of the battery pack (10) and the charging / discharging terminal (P1), but an additional relay (20) connected between the negative terminal of the battery pack (10) and the charging / discharging terminal (P2) may be further included in the electric vehicle (1). The relay (20) is turned on / off in response to a switching signal from a battery management system (100) or a vehicle controller. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the relay (20) may be a mechanical contactor that is turned on / off by the magnetic force of a coil, or a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor).

[0057] The battery management system (100) includes a sensing unit (110) and a control unit (120). The battery management system (100) may further include a communication unit (130).

[0058] The sensing unit (110) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB) of the battery pack (10). N ) Generates battery monitoring information representing each state.

[0059] The sensing unit (110) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of at least one state parameter can be measured periodically or non-periodically, and battery monitoring information representing each measured state parameter can be provided to the control unit (120).

[0060] Battery Block (BB) k The state parameters of ) are the battery block (BB kIt may represent the temperature of the battery block (BB) (which may be referred to as 'block temperature'), the cell voltage of each battery cell (BC) included in the battery block (BB), or a quadratic parameter (e.g., amount of change, rate of change) that can be derived through the application of a mathematical function therefrom. Of course, in addition to this, the battery block (BB k If it can directly or indirectly indicate the degree of thermal abnormality of ), the type of state parameter is not particularly limited.

[0061] A current sensor (A) is installed in a power line connecting the battery pack (10) and the charging / discharging terminals (P1, P2) to measure the current flowing through the battery pack (10). The current sensor (A) may be included in the sensing unit (110).

[0062] The control unit (120) can be implemented in hardware using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

[0063] The control unit (120) is operably coupled to at least one of the sensing unit (110) and the communication unit (130). Being operably coupled to the two components means that the two components are connected so that signals can be transmitted and received in either a unidirectional or bidirectional manner.

[0064] The control unit (120) may have a memory device. The memory device may include at least one type of storage medium among flash memory type, hard disk type, SSD type (Solid State Disk type), SSD type (Silicon Disk Drive type), multimedia card micro type, RAM (random access memory; RAM), SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory; ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), and PROM (programmable read-only memory). The memory device may store data and programs required for operation by the control unit (120). The memory device may store data representing the result of operation by the control unit (120).

[0065] The control unit (120), based on the status data received from the sensing unit (110), has a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) It can determine whether each one is abnormal. The control unit (120) can determine whether there is an abnormality in a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N If at least one of ) is diagnosed as abnormal, it is configured to perform at least one safety operation for the battery pack (10).

[0066] The safety operation may include turn-off control of the relay (20). The safety operation may include battery cooling control, which will be described later.

[0067] The power converter (30) may include at least one of a DC-AC inverter and a DC-DC converter. The power converter (30) may convert direct current power (discharge power) supplied from the battery pack (10) into alternating current power and supply it to an electric load (40) during the discharge of the battery pack (10). The electric load (40) may include a three-phase alternating current motor that generates kinetic energy for driving the electric vehicle (1).

[0068] The control unit (120), based on battery monitoring information, has a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each state of charge (SOC) can be determined, and the state of health (SOH) can be further determined.

[0069] The SOC of a battery block (BB) is the ratio of the remaining capacity to the maximum capacity (FCC: Full Charge Capacity) of the battery block, and is typically expressed in the range of 0 to 100% or 0 to 1. The remaining capacity represents the amount of charge currently stored in the battery block (BB).

[0070] The State of Health (SOH) of a battery block (BB) is the ratio of the maximum capacity to the design capacity of the battery block (BB), and is typically expressed in the range of 0 to 100% or 0 to 1. The design capacity represents the maximum amount of charge that can be stored in the battery block (BB) when the battery block (BB) is in a new condition. As the battery block (BB) deteriorates, the maximum capacity gradually decreases from the design capacity. Since the SOC and SOH can each be estimated from one or a combination of two or more of various known methods, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0071] The communication unit (130) includes at least one communication circuit that supports wired or wireless communication between the control unit (120), the vehicle controller (2), the peripheral device (50), and / or the battery cooling control device (200). Wired communication may be, for example, CAN (controller area network) communication, and wireless communication may be, for example, Zeegbee or Bluetooth communication. Of course, as long as wired or wireless communication is supported, the type of communication protocol is not specifically limited to the examples listed above.

[0072] The peripheral device (50) may include vehicle sensor(s) that measure at least one parameter (e.g., vehicle speed, etc.) related to the state of the electric vehicle (1). The peripheral device (50) may include an output device (e.g., display, speaker) that provides information received from the control unit (120) and / or the vehicle controller (2) in a form recognizable by the user. The peripheral device (50) may be driven using direct current power or alternating current power supplied from the power converter (30).

[0073] Although the battery pack (10) and the battery management system (100) are shown as physically independent in FIG. 1, the battery management system (100) may be included as a sub-component of the battery pack (10).

[0074] The battery cooling control device (200) includes a control unit (220). The battery cooling control device (200) may further include at least one of a cooling network (210) and a refrigerant circulation unit (230). At least one of the cooling network (210) and the refrigerant circulation unit (230) may be provided as a sub-component of the battery pack (10) instead of being provided as a sub-component of the battery cooling control device (200).

[0075] As a refrigerant, any one or more combinations of known substances that produce a cooling effect, such as water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and non-conductive liquids, may be used. Preferably, in addition to the cooling effect, any one or more combinations of known substances that are non-flammable and / or non-combustible may be used as a refrigerant.

[0076] The cooling network (210) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N The cooling network (210) is provided for cooling one or more of the battery blocks (BB1~BB1) while a flow of refrigerant occurs through a refrigerant path formed therein. N It is provided to enable individual heat exchange with one or more battery blocks.

[0077] The control unit (220) controls the cooling network (210) according to battery monitoring information. The battery monitoring information may be provided by the battery management system (100). Alternatively, the control unit (220) may generate battery monitoring information using sensor(s) provided within it.

[0078] The control unit (220) can be implemented in hardware using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

[0079] The control unit (220) may have a memory device. The memory device may include at least one type of storage medium among flash memory type, hard disk type, SSD type (Solid State Disk type), SSD type (Silicon Disk Drive type), multimedia card micro type, RAM (random access memory; RAM), SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory; ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), and PROM (programmable read-only memory). The memory device may store data and programs required for computational operations (e.g., execution of a battery cooling control method) by the control unit (220). The memory device may store data representing the result of computational operations by the control unit (220). The control unit (220) may include one or more memory devices and one or more processors. The control unit (220) may be an independent device that can be manufactured, used, and / or sold separately from other components of the battery cooling control device (200), and may be referred to as a 'battery controller', etc.

[0080] The control unit (220) of the battery cooling control device (200) can be replaced by the control unit (120) of the battery management system (100), in which case the control unit (220) can be omitted from the battery cooling control device (200). Although the battery pack (10) and the battery cooling control device (200) are shown as physically independent in FIG. 1, the battery cooling control device (200) may be included as a sub-component of the battery pack (10).

[0081] The electrical energy required to drive the battery cooling control device (200) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It may be provided from at least one of ). For example, a separate voltage regulator (not shown) may be provided from a plurality of battery blocks (BB1 to BB N A power supply voltage can be generated using at least one of the electrical energy sources and then supplied to the battery cooling control device (200), and each component of the battery cooling control device (200) can be activated by the power supply voltage.

[0082] FIG. 2 is a drawing referenced to explain an example of the coupling relationship between the battery block and the sensing unit illustrated in FIG. 1. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 2 shows a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB) included in a battery pack (10). N Among ), the battery block (BB k Only ) was depicted.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 2, the sensing unit (110) is a battery block (BB k The sensing circuit (SB) provided to ) k ...includes ). Accordingly, the sensing unit (110) includes a plurality of sensing circuits (SB1~SB N Those skilled in the art will easily understand that it may include ).

[0084] Sensing circuit (SB) k ) includes a temperature sensor (TS) and may further include a voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0085] The temperature sensor (TS) is the battery block (BB k Attached to the outer surface of ) or battery block (BB k It is installed at a predetermined point spaced apart from ), and the battery block (BB k Measures the temperature of the battery block (i.e., block temperature). The temperature sensor (TS) measures the temperature of the battery block (BB k A temperature signal indicating the temperature of ) can be generated, and the control unit (120) can collect the temperature signal of the temperature sensor (TS).

[0086] The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes at least one voltage sensor. The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes a battery block (BB k The module voltage of ) can be measured. The module voltage is, battery block (BB k It is the voltage between the two ends of ). The voltage detection circuit (VS) also includes the battery block (BB k The cell voltage of each battery cell (BC) included in ) can be further measured. The cell voltage is the voltage across the terminals of the battery cell (BC). The voltage detection circuit (VS) is the battery block (BB k A voltage signal is generated representing the module voltage of ) and the cell voltage of each battery cell (BC), and the control unit (120) can collect the voltage signal of the voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0087] FIGS. 3 to 5 are drawings referenced to schematically explain the configuration of a cooling network according to the present invention. For convenience of explanation, N=16, that is, 16 battery blocks (BB1~BB2) in a battery pack (10). 16 It is assumed that ) is included.

[0088] FIG. 3 shows battery blocks (BB1~BB) arranged in the form of a 4Y4 matrix. 16 The layout of ) is exemplified in a top-view format with respect to the XY plane. FIG. 4 shows battery blocks (BB1~BB) arranged to form the layout exemplified in FIG. 3. 16 This is an example of a cooling network (210) responsible for heat exchange with the battery blocks (BB1~BB) along the Z-axis. The cooling network (210) is an example of a cooling network (210) responsible for heat exchange with the battery blocks (BB1~BB) along the Z-axis. 16 It can be placed on the upper or lower part of (see FIG. 14 to be described later).

[0089] The cooling network (210) includes a plurality of refrigerant pipes (CP) and a plurality of electronic valves (VL). The plurality of refrigerant pipes (CP) include battery blocks (BB1~BB 16 Multiple branch nodes (J1~J) located to correspond individually to ) 16They can be interconnected through ). Branch node (J k ) is the battery block (BB) along the Z-axis k It may be located at the upper or lower part of ). In this specification, the term 'branch node' may refer to a portion where one end of two or more refrigerant pipes (CP) are interconnected. Branch node (J k ) is the battery block (BB k Positioning to correspond to ) means that, in the top view (or bottom view) along the Z-axis, the branch node (J k At least a portion of the area of ​​) is the battery block (BB k It may mean that the region is overlapping. For example, there may be an overlapping portion between the region on the XY plane of the branch node (J1) in FIG. 4 and the region on the XY plane of the battery block (BB1) in FIG. 3.

[0090] For reference, battery blocks (BB1~BB N If the layout of ) is in the form of a matrix AYB, the cooling network (210) may include {A(A-1)YB(B-1)+2} refrigerant pipes (CP). Thus, in the example of FIG. 4, since A=4 and B=4, the cooling network (210) includes 26 refrigerant pipes (CP), and the 26 refrigerant pipes (CP) have the sign CP 1,1 ~CP 15,16 , CP IL and CP OL ...was included.

[0091] A pair of inlets and outlets may be provided in the refrigerant circulation section (230), and the refrigerant pipe (CP) IL ) and refrigerant pipe (CP OL ) can be connected to a pair of inlets and outlets of the refrigerant circulation section (230), respectively. Refrigerant pipe (CP IL ) and refrigerant pipe (CP OL The remaining refrigerant pipes, excluding ), are refrigerant pipes (CP IL ) and refrigerant pipe (CP OL They can be interconnected between. For convenience, hereinafter, the refrigerant pipe (CP)IL The communication section (IL) between the ) and the refrigerant circulation section (230) is called the 'inlet', and the refrigerant pipe (CP) OL The communication section (OL) between the ) and the refrigerant circulation section (230) is to be called the ‘outlet’.

[0092] Refrigerant pipe (CP) IL ) connects the inlet (IL) of the cooling network (210) and the branch node (J1). The refrigerant pipe (CP) OL ) is the exit (OL) and branch node (J) of the cooling network (210). 16 Connect the refrigerant pipe (CP x,y ) is, two branch nodes (J x ,J y Connects ).

[0093] In FIG. 4, the refrigerant pipe (CP) connected between the branch node (J1) and the inlet (IL) IL Through ), refrigerant from the refrigerant circulation unit (230) flows into the cooling network (210), and the branch node (J 16 The refrigerant pipe (CP) connected between the outlet (OL) and the outlet (OL) OL The refrigerant that has passed through the cooling network (210) is discharged into the refrigerant circulation unit (230) through the )

[0094] Branch node(J4,J 13 Two refrigerant pipes (CP) are connected through each of them. For example, 26 refrigerant pipes (CP 1,1 ~CP 15,16 , CP IL , CP OL Of the two refrigerant pipes (CP) 3,4 , CP 4,5 One end of ) is connected to the branch node (J4).

[0095] Branch Node(J1,J2,J3,J5,J8,J9,J 12 ,J 14 ,J 15 ,J 16 Three refrigerant pipes (CP) are connected through each of them. For example, 26 refrigerant pipes (CP 1,1 ~CP 15,16 , CP IL , CPOL ) Among the three refrigerant tubes (CP IL , CP 1,2 , CP 1,8 One end of ) is connected to the branch node (J1).

[0096] Branch node(J6,J7,J 10 ,J 11 Four refrigerant pipes (CP) are connected through each of them. For example, 26 refrigerant pipes (CP 1,1 ~CP 15,16 , CP IL , CP OL Among the four refrigerant pipes (CP) 3,6 , CP 5,6 , CP 6,7 , CP 6,11 One part of ) is connected to the branch node (J6).

[0097] An electronic valve (VL) may be installed at each end of each refrigerant pipe (CP). Accordingly, when the two electronic valves (VL) installed at both ends of the refrigerant pipe (CP) are controlled to be in an open state, the flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe (CP) is made possible. Conversely, when at least one of the two electronic valves (VL) installed at both ends of the refrigerant pipe (CP) is controlled to be in a closed state, the flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe (CP) may be blocked. The control unit (220) can control the degree of opening of each electronic valve (VL) in the open state. That is, the degree of opening of the electronic valve (VL) can be adjusted continuously or in steps between 0% (completely closed state) and 100% (completely open state).

[0098] FIG. 5 is a diagram referenced to explain the structure of the branch node shown in FIG. 4. For convenience of explanation, the explanation will be based on a branch node (J6) in which one end of each of the four refrigerant pipes (CP) is interconnected.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 5, four solenoid valves (VL) are installed in the four connecting parts of the branch node (J6). A , VL B , VL C , VLD ) may be installed. In FIG. 5, the symbol 'VL' is installed on an electronic valve on one side in the Y-axis direction. A ' is assigned, and the symbol 'VL' is assigned to the electronic valve installed on the other side in the Y-axis direction. C ' is assigned, and the symbol 'VL' is assigned to the electronic valve installed on one side in the X-axis direction. B ' is assigned, and the symbol 'VL' is assigned to the electronic valve installed on the other side in the X-axis direction. D ' is assigned.

[0100] The electronic valve (VL) can change its open / closed state in response to a valve control signal from the control unit (220). The valve control signal can induce the electronic valve (VL) to be in an open state or a closed state. Additionally, the valve control signal can indicate the degree of opening in the open state.

[0101] The control unit (220), in situations where refrigerant flow through the branch node (J6) is required, has four electronic valves (VL) located at the branch node (J6). A , VL B , VL C , VL D ) Two or more solenoid valves (e.g., VL A , VL C ) can be controlled to an open state.

[0102] The control unit (220) is a battery block (BB1~BB 16 Based on the battery monitoring information of the cooling network (210), any one of the multiple refrigerant paths available can be determined as the target refrigerant path.

[0103] For reference, unlike the branch node (e.g., J6) where four refrigerant pipes (CP) are connected, the branch node (e.g., J4) where two refrigerant pipes (CP) are connected may only have two solenoid valves, and the part where no solenoid valve is located may have a structure that is basically blocked. For example, in contrast to the branch node (J6) of FIG. 5, one side (left) in the X-axis direction and the other side (bottom) in the Y-axis direction at the branch node (J4) may be blocked.

[0104] Likewise, only three solenoid valves may be located at the branch node (e.g., J1) where three refrigerant pipes (CP) are connected, and the part where no solenoid valve is located may have a basically closed structure. For example, in contrast to the branch node (J6) of FIG. 5, one side (left) in the X-axis direction of the branch node (J1) may be closed.

[0105] Figure 6 is a diagram referenced to illustrate a standard refrigerant path that can be provided in a cooling network. For convenience of explanation, the symbols for each refrigerant pipe have been omitted.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 6, the control unit (220) comprises battery blocks (BB1~BB 16 If there are no battery blocks identified as having a risk of thermal runaway among them, the reference refrigerant path (600) can be determined as the target refrigerant path.

[0107] The reference refrigerant path (600) is the battery block (BB1~BB 16 It may be predetermined that uniform cooling is possible for ). The control unit (220) can control the cooling network (210) so that a reference refrigerant path (600) is formed between the inlet (IL) and outlet (OL) of the cooling network (210).

[0108] The control unit (220) can output valve control signals corresponding to the reference refrigerant path (600) to a plurality of electronic valves (VL). For example, referring to FIG. 5, since refrigerant must be able to flow through the branch node (J6) in order for the reference refrigerant path (600) to be formed, four electronic valves (VL) located at the branch node (J6) A , VL B , VL C , VL D Among the two electronic valves (VL A , VL C ) is in the open state, and the remaining two solenoid valves (VL B , VL D ) can be controlled to a closed state.

[0109] The standard refrigerant path (600) is the battery blocks (BB1~BB) under normal circumstances. 16 It may be predetermined for cooling ). In FIG. 6, a reference refrigerant path (600) extends from an inlet (IL) to a plurality of branch nodes (J1~J 16 It is exemplified as a path leading to the outlet (OL) by sequentially passing through ). Of course, the reference refrigerant path (600) may be determined differently from the example in FIG. 6.

[0110] When a reference refrigerant path (600) is formed within the cooling network (210), a plurality of branch nodes (J1~J 16 Since the refrigerant flows through all of them, the battery blocks (BB1~BB 16 ) can be cooled in a balanced manner.

[0111] FIG. 7 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a battery cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method according to FIG. 7 may be repeated periodically or non-periodically.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 7, in step S710, the control unit (220) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB NBased on battery monitoring information representing each state parameter of ), the target refrigerant path is determined.

[0113] In step S720, the control unit (220) controls the cooling network (210) so that the target refrigerant path determined in step S710 is formed between the inlet (IL) and outlet (OL) of the cooling network (210).

[0114] FIG. 8 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of a set of routines that may be included in step S710 of FIG. 7.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 8, in step S810, the control unit (220), based on battery monitoring information, controls a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Determine whether there is a risk of thermal runaway in at least one of the battery blocks.

[0116] The control unit (220) is a battery block (BB k A measurement of at least one state parameter of ) can be compared with a reference range (or reference value). For example, if the state parameter is 'temperature (block temperature)', the reference range for it may represent a predetermined normal temperature range. If, battery block (BB k If the state parameters of ) fall outside the reference range, the battery block (BB k ) may be diagnosed as having a risk of thermal runaway, otherwise the battery block (BB k It can be diagnosed that there is no risk of thermal runaway in ). If the value of step S810 is "Yes", it can proceed to step S820. If the value of step S810 is "No", it can proceed to step S830.

[0117] In step S820, the control unit (220) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Based on the identification information of each battery block at risk of thermal runaway, the target refrigerant path is determined.

[0118] A battery block with a risk of thermal runaway can be referred to as an "abnormal battery block." A battery block without a risk of thermal runaway can be referred to as a "normal battery block."

[0119] The control unit (220) can distinguish between the identification information of each abnormal battery block and the identification information of each normal battery block and record them in a memory device. A plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) is fixedly placed in different physical regions within the battery pack (10), and the battery block (BB k The identification information of ) is the battery block (BB k It can correspond to a physical area (a type of address) within the battery pack (10) in which it is placed.

[0120] In step S830, the control unit (220) determines the reference refrigerant path (600) as the target refrigerant path.

[0121] FIG. 9 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of a routine set that may be included in step S820 of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are drawings referenced to illustrate the method of FIG. 9. For convenience of explanation, the symbols for each refrigerant pipe have been omitted in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11.

[0122] Referring to FIG. 9, in step S910, the control unit (220), based on the identification information of each abnormal battery block, comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N At least one battery block among ) is set as a target for intensive cooling.

[0123] In one embodiment, only each abnormal battery block can be set as a target for intensive cooling.

[0124] In another embodiment, each abnormal battery block and each adjacent battery block may be set as a target for intensive cooling.

[0125] In step S920, the control unit (220) determines a target refrigerant path based on the identification information of each battery block set as a target for intensive cooling.

[0126] A memory device may pre-store a cooling control map, which is predetermined relationship data between a plurality of identification data sets and a plurality of refrigerant paths. Each identification data set is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It includes at least one identification information among ). Multiple identification data sets and multiple refrigerant paths may be mapped in a many-to-one or many-to-many relationship.

[0127] The control unit (220) can specify one of a plurality of identification data sets based on identification information of each battery module set as a target for intensive cooling. The control unit (220) can use the specified identification data set to select at least one of a plurality of refrigerant paths as a target refrigerant path from a cooling control map.

[0128] The cooling control map may include a valve control data set indicating the individual opening and closing states of a plurality of electronic valves (VL) required for the formation of each refrigerant path. The control unit (220) may transmit valve control signals based on the valve control data set corresponding to the target refrigerant path to the plurality of electronic valves (VL).

[0129] The target refrigerant path determined in step S920 may be the shortest path passing through each branch node located to correspond to each battery block set as a target for concentrated cooling among a plurality of refrigerant paths that can be provided by the cooling network (210).

[0130] FIG. 10 is a battery block (BB 10 This shows an example of the target for concentrated cooling and the target refrigerant path when only ) is an abnormal battery block. In FIG. 10, the branch node (J 10) is darkly shaded, and this is a branch node (J 10 Battery block (BB) having a position corresponding to ) 10 ) indicates that there is a risk of thermal runaway. The control unit (220) indicates that the battery block (BB 10 Only ) can be set as the target for intensive cooling, and accordingly, the battery block (BB 10 A branch node (J) located to correspond to ) 10 A refrigerant path (1000) passing through ) can be determined as the target refrigerant path. The refrigerant path (1000) has six branch nodes (J1, J2, J7, J) between the inlet (IL) and the outlet (OL). 10 ,J 15 ,J 16 ) are connected sequentially. The refrigerant path (1000) is a branch node (J 10 It may be the shortest path passing through ). Therefore, when refrigerant flows through the refrigerant path (1000), compared to the reference refrigerant path (600), the battery block (BB 10 Intensive cooling is performed on the battery block (BB 10 It has the advantage of being able to quickly reduce the risk of heat transfer.

[0131] FIG. 11 is a battery block (BB 10 This shows another example of the target for concentrated cooling and the target refrigerant path when only ) is an abnormal battery block. In FIG. 11, the branch nodes (J7, J9, J 11 , J 15 ) is lightly shaded, and this is the battery block (BB7, BB9, BB 11 , BB 15 Each of the ) is a battery block (BB 10 Indicates that it is an adjacent battery block for ).

[0132] The control unit (220) is a battery block (BB 10 ) as well as adjacent battery blocks (BB7, BB9, BB 11 , BB 15Up to ) can be set as a target for concentrated cooling. Adjacent battery blocks may refer to battery blocks predetermined as being adjacent to abnormal battery blocks. Multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N Data indicating whether ) are adjacent to one another may be pre-stored in a memory device. Accordingly, battery blocks (BB7, BB9, BB) set as targets for intensive cooling are configured. 10 , BB 11 , BB 15 Branch nodes (J7, J9, J) located to correspond to ) 10 , J 11 , J 15 A refrigerant path (1100) passing through ) can be determined as the target refrigerant path. The refrigerant path (1100) is a branch node (J7, J9, J) between the inlet (IL) and the outlet (OL). 10 , J 11 , J 15 It may be the shortest path passing through ).

[0133] Meanwhile, there may be multiple shortest refrigerant paths passing through each branch node corresponding to the concentrated cooling target. For example, in the situation of FIG. 11, branch nodes (J1, J2, J7, J 10 ,J9,J 16 Subset of ), branch nodes (J1,J8,J7,J 10 ,J9,J 16 Subset of ), branch nodes(J1,J8,J9,J 10 ,J 15 ,J 16 The length of the refrigerant path for each subset of ) is the same as the refrigerant path (1000).

[0134] The control unit (220) can determine one of the multiple shortest length refrigerant paths as the target refrigerant path when there are multiple shortest refrigerant paths passing through each branch node corresponding to each battery block set as a concentrated cooling target.

[0135] In one embodiment, the control unit (220) calculates the sum of the block temperatures of the battery blocks corresponding to the branch nodes that each refrigerant path passes through for each of the plurality of refrigerant paths, and can determine one of the refrigerant paths passing through the branch nodes having the maximum sum of the block temperatures as the target refrigerant path. For example, in the situation illustrated in FIG. 10, the branch nodes (J1, J2, J7, J 10 ,J 15 ,J 16 Battery blocks corresponding to ) (BB1, BB2, BB7, BB 10 ,BB 15 ,BB 16 The sum of the block temperatures of ) is 190 degrees, and the branch nodes (J1,J2,J7,J 10 ,J9,J 16 Battery blocks corresponding to ) (BB1, BB2, BB7, BB 10 ,BB9,BB 16 The sum of the block temperatures of ) is 200 degrees, and the branch nodes (J1,J8,J7,J 10 ,J9,J 16 Battery blocks corresponding to ) (BB1, BB8, BB7, BB 10 ,BB9,BB 16 The sum of the block temperatures of ) is 180 degrees, and the branch nodes (J1,J8,J9,J 10 ,J 15 ,J 16 Battery blocks corresponding to ) (BB1, BB8, BB9, BB 10 ,BB 15 ,BB 16 Let's assume that the sum of the block temperatures of ) is 185 degrees. Then, the control unit (220), instead of the refrigerant path (1000), branches the nodes (J1, J2, J7, J 10 ,J9,J 16 Another refrigerant path passing through ) can also be determined as the target refrigerant path.

[0136] Alternatively, the control unit (220) may determine at least two of the shortest length refrigerant paths passing through each branch node corresponding to each battery block set as a concentrated cooling target as target refrigerant paths alternately (cyclically) with a time difference.

[0137] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerant circulation unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0138] Referring to FIG. 12, the refrigerant circulation unit (230) may include a refrigerant tank (231) and a chiller (232). The refrigerant circulation unit (230) may further include at least one of a pump (233) and a pump (236).

[0139] The refrigerant tank (231) stores the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet (OL) of the cooling network (210) and can supply the stored refrigerant to the chiller (232). That is, the refrigerant that has absorbed heat from at least one battery block (BB) while passing through the target refrigerant path flows into the chiller (232) via the refrigerant tank (231).

[0140] The chiller (232) lowers the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into it and supplies it to the pump (233). The pump (233) can supply the refrigerant supplied from the chiller (232) to the inlet (IL) of the cooling network (210). The refrigerant returning to the outlet (OL) after passing through the target refrigerant path can be supplied to the refrigerant tank (231) by the pump (236).

[0141] The pump (233) may be a unidirectional pump capable of inducing only a refrigerant flow from the pump (233) toward the inlet (IL), or a bidirectional pump capable of selectively inducing a refrigerant flow from the pump (233) toward the inlet (IL) and a refrigerant flow in the opposite direction.

[0142] The pump (236) may be a unidirectional pump capable of inducing only a refrigerant flow from the outlet (OL) toward the pump (236), or a bidirectional pump capable of selectively inducing a refrigerant flow from the outlet (OL) toward the pump (236) and a refrigerant flow in the opposite direction.

[0143] The amount of refrigerant supplied and / or refrigerant discharged per unit time of the pump (233) may be predetermined. The amount of refrigerant supplied and / or refrigerant discharged per unit time of the pump (236) may also be predetermined.

[0144] When no damage to the cooling network is detected, the refrigerant supply amount and / or refrigerant outflow amount per unit time of the pump (233) and / or pump (236) may be maintained at a predetermined first value. When damage to the cooling network is detected, the refrigerant supply amount per unit time of the pump (233) and / or pump (236) may be maintained at a predetermined second value, and the refrigerant outflow amount per unit time of the pump (233) and / or pump (236) may be maintained at a predetermined third value. The second value may be greater than the first value, and the third value may be smaller than the first value.

[0145] Depending on the interaction of the aforementioned refrigerant tank (231), chiller (232), pump (233) and / or pump (236), unidirectional or bidirectional refrigerant flow within the cooling network (210) may be generated or blocked.

[0146] The refrigerant circulation unit (230) may further include at least one of a refrigerant sensor (234) and a refrigerant sensor (235). The refrigerant sensor (234) may measure refrigerant parameters (e.g., flow rate, flow rate) of the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant circulation unit (230) to the cooling network (210) and notify the control unit (220) of the measured values. The refrigerant sensor (235) may measure refrigerant parameters of the refrigerant supplied from the cooling network (210) to the refrigerant circulation unit (230) and notify the control unit (220) of the measured values.

[0147] FIG. 13 is a flowchart referenced for schematically explaining a battery cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are drawings referenced for explaining the method of FIG. 13.

[0148] Referring to FIG. 13, in step S1310, the control unit (220) determines whether the cooling network (210) is damaged based on flow rate information received from the refrigerant circulation unit (230).

[0149] For example, if the measured value of at least one of the refrigerant sensor (234) and the refrigerant sensor (235) is less than a first set value, it may be determined that there is a damaged part in the cooling network (210). For another example, if the rate of change of the measured value of at least one of the refrigerant sensor (234) and the refrigerant sensor (235) exceeds a second set value, it may be determined that there is a damaged part in the cooling network (210). For yet another example, if the difference between the measured value of the refrigerant sensor (234) and the measured value of the refrigerant sensor (235) is greater than or equal to a third set value, it may be determined that there is a damaged part in the cooling network (210). Each set value may be predetermined. If the value of step S1310 is "Yes," step S1320 may proceed. If the value of step S1310 is "No," the method according to FIG. 13 may be terminated.

[0150] Damage to the cooling network (210) may be caused by overheating due to fire or other factors in the battery block (BB) placed around it. If damage occurs to the cooling network (210), refrigerant leaks out of the cooling network (210) through the damage, and as a result, the measurement value of at least one of the refrigerant sensor (234) and the refrigerant sensor (235) may decrease rapidly.

[0151] FIG. 14 is a battery block (BB1~BB) illustrated in FIG. 3. 16Figure 4 illustrates a side view (YZ plane) illustrating the arrangement relationship of the cooling network (210). Figure 14 illustrates an exemplary situation in which refrigerant leaks into the battery pack (10) through a broken part of the cooling network (210).

[0152] For the convenience of explanation, the description will focus on the four battery blocks (BB1 to BB4) positioned on the far left in FIG. 3. In FIG. 14, a refrigerant pipe (CP) adjacent to battery block (BB3) 2,3 It is exemplified that a damaged area exists in ), and said damaged area may be due to thermal runaway occurring in the battery block (BB3). Accordingly, at least a portion of the outer surface of the battery block (BB3) is, through said damaged area, the refrigerant pipe (CP 2,3 It can be covered by refrigerant leaking from ). For reference, the battery block (BB3) is a refrigerant pipe (CP 2,3 Before a damaged area occurs in ), it may already be identified as an abnormal battery block, and a target refrigerant path (reference numeral 1500 of FIG. 15) passing through a branch node (J3) corresponding to the battery block (BB3) may be formed.

[0153] In step S1320, the control unit (220) performs at least one digestion operation.

[0154] The control unit (220) can perform a first extinguishing operation to increase the amount of refrigerant supplied to the cooling network (210). For example, the control unit (220) can increase the pumping output of the cooling pump (233) to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing into the cooling network (210) per unit time through the inlet (IL). For another example, the control unit (220) can control the cooling pump (233) to induce a refrigerant flow from the cooling pump (233) to the inlet (IL), and at the same time control the cooling pump (236) to induce a refrigerant flow from the cooling pump (236) to the outlet (OL). In this case, the supply of refrigerant to the cooling network (210) through the inlet (IL) and the supply of refrigerant to the cooling network (210) through the outlet (OL) can be performed in parallel.

[0155] The control unit (220) can perform a second extinguishing operation to reduce the amount of refrigerant flowing out from the cooling network (210). For example, the control unit (220) can reduce the amount of refrigerant flowing out per unit time from the cooling network (210) through the outlet (OL) by using a refrigerant pipe (CP) connected to the outlet (OL) of the cooling network (210). OL The electronic valve (VL) of the solenoid valve (VL) can be controlled to a closed state or the degree of opening of the electronic valve (VL) can be reduced.

[0156] FIG. 15 illustrates the flow of refrigerant within a cooling network (210) while the first fire suppression function is in operation. FIG. 15 is a top view (XY plane) corresponding to FIG. 14, and the damaged area shown in FIG. 15 corresponds to the damaged area shown in FIG. 14. Referring to FIG. 15, as the first fire suppression function is in operation, the flow of refrigerant from the inlet (IL) to the branch node (J3) and the flow of refrigerant from the outlet (OL) to the branch node (J3) may occur simultaneously, and accordingly, refrigerant may be supplied simultaneously along the target refrigerant path (1500) to both sides of the branch node (J3).

[0157] As step S1320 is executed, the pressure within the cooling network (210) increases. Accordingly, a large amount of refrigerant can be strongly sprayed from the point of damage within the cooling network (210) into the battery block (BB3). As a result, a large area of ​​the outer surface of the battery block (BB3) is quickly covered by the refrigerant, allowing the fire in the battery block (BB3) to enter rapidly. In other words, the cooling network (210) acts as a kind of fire extinguisher for the battery pack (10).

[0158] The method according to Fig. 13 can be executed in parallel while the method according to Fig. 7 is being executed.

[0159] While the reference refrigerant path is set to the target refrigerant path, the battery blocks (BB1~BB 16 The likelihood of the cooling network (210) being thermally damaged by ) is very low. The reason is that the standard refrigerant path is the battery block (BB1~BB 16 This is because it can be set as the target refrigerant path only in situations where none of the above are identified as having a risk of thermal runaway.

[0160] Therefore, damage to the cooling network (210) identified while the reference refrigerant path is set as the target refrigerant path is due to the battery blocks (BB1~BB 16 It is highly likely that at least one of the above is due to a cause other than thermal damage caused by high heat (e.g., aging). Taking this into consideration, the control unit (220) may be configured to execute step S1320 under the condition that a refrigerant path other than the reference refrigerant path is set as the target refrigerant path.

[0161] Meanwhile, FIG. 14 shows the cooling network (210) physically separated from the battery pack (10), but this is merely an example. Accordingly, at least a part of the cooling network (210) is the battery blocks (BB1~BB) of the battery pack (10). NIt should be understood that it may be installed to come into direct contact with ).

[0162] Another embodiment of the present invention may provide a computer-readable medium having a program recorded thereon for executing the various embodiments described above on a computer.

[0163] A program may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware and software components. A program may be executed by any system capable of executing computer-readable instructions.

[0164] Software may include computer programs, code, instructions, or a combination thereof, and may configure a processing unit to operate as desired or command the processing unit independently or collectively.

[0165] Software can be implemented as a computer program containing instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Examples of computer-readable storage media include magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random-access memory), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical reading media (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs)). Computer-readable storage media can be distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The storage medium is readable by a computer, stored in memory, and can be executed by a processor.

[0166] Computer-readable media may be provided in the form of non-transitory recording media. Here, 'non-transitory storage media' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily. For example, 'non-transitory storage media' may include a buffer in which data is stored temporarily.

[0167] In addition, the program may be provided as part of a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between a seller and a buyer as goods.

[0168] A computer program product may include a software program or a computer-readable recording medium on which the software program is stored. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of a software program that is distributed electronically through a manufacturer of an electronic device or an electronic market (e.g., a downloadable application). For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored on a recording medium or temporarily created. In this case, the recording medium may be a server of the manufacturer of the electronic device, a server of the electronic market, or a recording medium of a relay server that temporarily stores the software program.

[0169] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not limited to implementation through devices and methods, but may also be implemented through a program that realizes a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present invention or a recording medium on which such a program is recorded. Such implementation can be easily achieved by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, based on the description of the embodiments described above.

[0170] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0171] Furthermore, since the present invention described above allows for various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention to those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, it is not limited by the aforementioned embodiments and attached drawings, but rather all or part of each embodiment may be selectively combined to allow for various modifications.

Claims

1. A cooling network provided for cooling multiple battery blocks; and A control unit that determines a target refrigerant path according to battery monitoring information representing state parameters of each of the plurality of battery blocks, and controls the cooling network so that the target refrigerant path is formed between the inlet and outlet of the cooling network; A battery cooling control device including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above cooling network is, A plurality of refrigerant pipes interconnected through a plurality of branch nodes positioned to correspond to the plurality of battery blocks; and A plurality of electronic valves installed at the above plurality of branch nodes; A battery cooling control device including 3. In Paragraph 1, The above control unit is, The target refrigerant path is configured to be determined based on identification information of each abnormal battery block among the plurality of battery blocks, The above abnormal battery block is a battery cooling control device, which is a battery block having a risk of thermal runaway.

4. In Paragraph 3, The above target refrigerant path is, A battery cooling control device, which is a refrigerant path passing through each branch node positioned to correspond to each abnormal battery block among a plurality of refrigerant paths that can be provided by the cooling network.

5. In Paragraph 3, The above target refrigerant path is, Among the plurality of refrigerant paths that can be provided by the cooling network, it is a refrigerant path passing through branch nodes located to correspond to each abnormal battery block and each adjacent battery block, and The above abnormal battery block is a battery block having a risk of thermal runaway, and The above adjacent battery block is a battery cooling control device, which is a battery block adjacent to the above abnormal battery block.

6. In Paragraph 1, A refrigerant circulation unit that induces the circulation of refrigerant through the inlet and outlet of the above-mentioned cooling network; A battery cooling control device further comprising 7. In Paragraph 1, The above control unit is, A battery cooling control device configured to execute at least one of a first extinguishing operation that increases the amount of refrigerant supplied to the cooling network and a second extinguishing operation that reduces the amount of refrigerant outflow from the cooling network when it is determined that the cooling network is damaged.

8. In Paragraph 7, A battery cooling control device in which, when executing the first fire suppression operation, the supply of refrigerant to the cooling network through the inlet and the supply of refrigerant to the cooling network through the outlet are carried out in parallel.

9. A battery pack comprising a battery cooling control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An electric vehicle including a battery pack pursuant to paragraph 9.

11. A step of determining a target refrigerant path according to battery monitoring information representing the state parameters of each of a plurality of battery blocks; and A step of controlling the cooling network such that the target refrigerant path is formed between the inlet and outlet of the cooling network provided for cooling the plurality of battery blocks; A battery cooling control method including 12. In Paragraph 11, The step of determining the target refrigerant path is performed based on identification information of each abnormal battery block among the plurality of battery blocks, and A battery cooling control method in which the above-mentioned abnormal battery block is a battery block having a risk of thermal runaway.

13. In Paragraph 12, The above target refrigerant path is, A battery cooling control method, wherein among a plurality of refrigerant paths available for the cooling network, a refrigerant path passing through each branch node positioned to correspond to each abnormal battery block.

14. In Paragraph 12, The above target refrigerant path is, Among the plurality of refrigerant paths available to the cooling network, there is a refrigerant path passing through each abnormal battery block and each adjacent battery block, and A battery cooling control method in which the above adjacent battery block is a battery block adjacent to the above abnormal battery block.

15. In Paragraph 11, If it is determined that the cooling network is damaged, a step of executing at least one of a first extinguishing operation that increases the refrigerant supply amount to the cooling network and a second extinguishing operation that reduces the refrigerant outflow amount from the cooling network; A battery cooling control method further comprising 16. A computer-readable medium storing a program for executing a battery cooling control method according to any one of claims 11 to 15 on a computer.