Battery pack, vehicle including the battery pack, and method for controlling the battery pack

Abstract

Disclosed are a battery pack provided in a vehicle, a vehicle including the battery pack, and a control method for the battery pack. The battery pack includes: a battery module having battery cells; a relay unit configured to connect at least one battery module to an engine unit of the vehicle; and a control unit connected to the relay unit and the engine unit to control the relay unit and the engine unit, wherein when the temperature of the battery cells of the battery module rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit operates the relay unit to cause the engine unit to idle. By idling the engine unit, the energy level of the battery cells of the battery module can be reduced. When the state of charge (SOC) of the battery module is below a specific SOC, thermal runaway will not occur, and even if thermal runaway occurs, only a small amount of heat is released, thereby significantly reducing the risk of explosion or chain fire of the battery module.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0145242 filed in Korea on November 13, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack, a vehicle including the battery pack, and a control method of the battery pack. Background Art

[0003] Secondary batteries, which are highly suitable for various products and exhibit excellent electrical properties such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by power supplies. Secondary batteries have attracted attention as a new energy source for enhancing environmental friendliness and energy efficiency because they can significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels and do not produce byproducts during energy consumption.

[0004] Currently, widely used secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and the like. The operating voltage of a single secondary battery cell, i.e., a single battery cell, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, multiple battery cells can be connected in series to form a battery pack. In addition, depending on the required charge / discharge capacity of the battery pack, multiple battery cells can be connected in parallel to form a battery pack. Thus, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be set differently depending on the required output voltage or the required charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] In addition, when a plurality of battery cells are connected in series or parallel to constitute a battery pack, a battery module composed of at least one battery cell is generally first constructed, and then the battery pack is constructed by using the at least one battery module and adding other components.

[0006] Conventional battery packs include battery modules, each of which has a plurality of battery cells. If an abnormality occurs due to expansion of battery cells in any one battery module due to overheating above a predetermined temperature, thermal runaway can spread to adjacent battery modules if the abnormality is not quickly resolved, potentially causing explosion of the battery pack and posing a greater risk to users.

[0007] Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in a specific battery cell of a battery module due to overheating above a predetermined temperature, it is imperative to quickly address the abnormality. Specifically, it is imperative to prevent the spread of thermal runaway to adjacent battery modules to ensure safety, before it spreads to surrounding modules and causes explosion or fire in the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The present disclosure is directed to providing a battery pack that can improve safety by preventing thermal runaway, a vehicle including the battery pack, and a method for controlling the battery pack.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack provided in a vehicle is provided, comprising: at least one battery module having at least one battery cell; a relay unit configured to connect the at least one battery module to an engine unit of the vehicle; and a control unit connected to the relay unit and the engine unit to control the relay unit and the engine unit, wherein when the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit operates the relay unit to cause the engine unit to idle.

[0012] The control unit may close a switch of the relay unit when the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above the predetermined temperature.

[0013] The control unit may switch a transmission of the vehicle to a neutral mode when the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above the predetermined temperature.

[0014] The battery pack may further include an alarm unit configured to transmit predetermined danger information to a driver of the vehicle.

[0015] When the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above the predetermined temperature, the control unit may control the alarm unit to send a danger signal to a driver of the vehicle.

[0016] The control unit may shift a transmission of the vehicle into a neutral mode while operating the alarm unit so that the engine unit idles.

[0017] The control unit may convert a transmission of the vehicle into a neutral mode such that the engine unit idles after a preset predetermined time has elapsed from the operation of the alarm unit.

[0018] The battery pack may further include: at least one external resistor unit configured to connect the relay unit and the engine unit.

[0019] In addition, the present disclosure provides a control method for a battery pack provided in a vehicle, comprising: when the temperature of at least one battery cell of at least one battery module rises above a predetermined temperature, switching a transmission device of the vehicle to a neutral mode; when above the predetermined temperature, operating a relay unit connected to the at least one battery module; and idling an engine unit of the vehicle connected to the relay unit according to the operation of the relay unit.

[0020] Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a vehicle including: at least one battery pack according to the above-described embodiment.

[0021] Beneficial effects

[0022] According to the various embodiments described above, a battery pack that can improve safety by preventing thermal runaway, a vehicle including the battery pack, and a method for controlling the battery pack can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure; thus, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to these drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a diagram Figure 1 Illustration of a battery pack of a vehicle.

[0026] Figure 3 It is a diagram that shows when an abnormal situation occurs, Figure 2 A diagram of the operation of the battery pack.

[0027] Figure 4 It is illustrated in Figure 1 When the vehicle stops, Figure 2 Flowchart of a control method when an abnormal situation occurs in a battery pack.

[0028] Figure 5 It is illustrated in Figure 1 When the vehicle is running, Figure 2 Flowchart of a control method when an abnormal situation occurs in a battery pack.

[0029] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment Figure 1 Illustration of a battery pack of a vehicle.

[0030] Figure 7 It is a diagram that shows when an abnormal situation occurs, Figure 6 A diagram of the operation of the battery pack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative and may be modified in various ways to better understand the present disclosure. In addition, to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale, and the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

[0032] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 It is a diagram Figure 1 Illustration of a battery pack of a vehicle.

[0033] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the vehicle 1 may be an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle including a secondary battery as an energy source. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the vehicle 1 will be described as an electric vehicle.

[0034] The vehicle 1 may include a main body 10 , an engine unit 20 , a transmission 30 , an alarm unit 40 , and a battery pack 50 .

[0035] The body 10 forms an exterior of the vehicle 1 and has a driving space and a seating space for a user such as a driver, and various components of the vehicle 1 may be accommodated in or mounted to the body 10 .

[0036] The engine unit 20 is used to operate the vehicle 1 and the like, and may be provided to the body 10. The engine unit 20 may be connected to a transmission 30 and a battery pack 50 explained later, and may be provided as an electric motor.

[0037] The transmission 30 is connected to the engine unit 20 and can be switched according to the operation of the user such as the driver. For example, when the vehicle is running or stopped, the transmission 30 can be switched to a sport mode, a neutral mode, a reverse mode or a parking mode according to the user's operation.

[0038] The alarm unit 40 is connected to an alarm unit 400 of the battery pack 50 explained later, and may be provided at a position where it can be recognized by a user such as a driver when a dangerous situation occurs in the body 10 .

[0039] The alarm unit 40 may be provided in the form of a display unit that provides visual information to the user to notify the user of a dangerous situation, an audio unit that provides auditory information to the user, or an audio-visual unit that provides both visual and auditory information. The alarm unit 40 may also be provided in other forms, not limited to the above forms, as long as it can notify the user of a dangerous situation.

[0040] The battery pack 50 may be provided on the main body 10 as an energy source of the vehicle 1. The battery pack 50 may provide energy for operating the engine unit 20.

[0041] The battery pack 50 may include a battery module 100 , a pack case 200 , a relay unit 300 , an alarm unit 400 , and a control unit 500 .

[0042] At least one battery module 100 or a plurality of battery modules 100 may be provided. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, provision of a plurality of battery modules 100 will be described. The plurality of battery modules 100 are electrically connected to each other and may be provided inside a pack case 200 to be explained later.

[0043] Each of the plurality of battery modules 100 may include a battery cell 150 .

[0044] The battery cell 150 is a secondary battery and may be provided as a pouch-type secondary battery, a rectangular secondary battery, or a cylindrical secondary battery. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the battery cell 150 will be described as a pouch-type secondary battery.

[0045] At least one battery cell 150 or a plurality of battery cells 150 may be provided. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it will be described that a plurality of battery cells 150 are provided and stacked on each other to be electrically connected to each other.

[0046] The pack case 200 is mounted to the main body 10 , and the pack case 200 may accommodate the plurality of battery modules 100 , a relay unit 300 explained later, an alarm unit 400 , and a control unit 500 .

[0047] The relay unit 300 is provided at the pack housing 200 and can be electrically connected to the control unit 500 explained later. The relay unit 300 can connect at least one battery module 100 or a plurality of battery modules 100 in this embodiment to the engine unit 20 of the vehicle 1.

[0048] The alarm unit 400 is used to provide predetermined danger information to a user such as a driver of the vehicle 1, and is provided at the stack housing 200. The alarm unit 400 may be electrically connected to a control unit 500 explained later.

[0049] The alarm unit 400 may be connected to the alarm unit 40 of the vehicle 1 , and when a dangerous situation occurs, the alarm unit 400 may provide the alarm unit 40 with danger information, etc., to guide the operation of the alarm unit 40 .

[0050] The control unit 500 is provided at the stack housing 200 and is electrically connected to the engine unit 20 , the transmission 30 , and the alarm unit 40 of the vehicle 1 to control operations of the engine unit 20 , the transmission 30 , and the alarm unit 40 .

[0051] The control unit 500 may be electrically connected to the battery module 100 , the relay unit 300 , and the alarm unit 400 to control operations of the battery module 100 , the relay unit 300 , and the alarm unit 400 .

[0052] Hereinafter, a detailed control operation of the control unit 500 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail.

[0053] If the temperature of at least one battery cell 150 of at least one battery module 100 rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may operate the relay unit 300 so that the engine unit 20 idles.

[0054] Specifically, if the temperature of at least one battery cell 150 of at least one battery module 100 rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may close the switch of the relay unit 300 so that the engine unit 20 idles.

[0055] If the temperature of at least one battery cell 150 of at least one battery module 100 rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may convert the transmission 300 of the vehicle 1 into a neutral mode.

[0056] If the temperature of at least one battery cell 150 of at least one battery module 100 rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may control the alarm unit 400 to send a danger signal to the driver of the vehicle 1 .

[0057] Specifically, the control unit 500 can control the alarm unit 400 to transmit the danger information of the alarm unit 400 to the alarm unit 40 of the vehicle 1, and control the alarm unit 40 to send a danger signal to the driver. Here, the alarm unit 40 can transmit the danger signal to the driver by emitting light through a display or generating a horn sound through a speaker.

[0058] The control unit 500 may switch the transmission 30 of the vehicle 1 to the neutral mode while operating the alarm unit 400, so that the engine unit 20 is idling. In addition, after a preset predetermined time has passed since the operation of the alarm unit 400, the control unit 500 may switch the transmission 30 of the vehicle 1 to the neutral mode, so that the engine unit 20 is idling.

[0059] Hereinafter, detailed operations of the battery pack 50 according to this embodiment when an abnormal situation occurs will be described in more detail.

[0060] Figure 3 It is a diagram that shows when an abnormal situation occurs, Figure 2 A diagram of the operation of the battery pack.

[0061] Reference Figure 3 , an abnormality may occur in the battery cells 155 of the battery module 100 in the battery pack 50 of the vehicle 1. Specifically, in at least one of the battery cells 155 of the battery module 100, a temperature may increase due to overheating or overcurrent.

[0062] If the temperature of the battery cell 155 continues to rise above a predetermined temperature, the battery cell 155 may explode or catch fire, which may cause thermal runaway to spread to the battery cells of the surrounding battery module 100, ultimately leading to explosion of the entire battery pack, etc. In this case, it may cause greater danger to users such as the driver and owner of the vehicle 1.

[0063] In the battery pack 50 of this embodiment, to prevent this problem, when the temperature of at least one battery cell 155 rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may control the battery pack 50 or idle the engine unit 20 to prevent thermal runaway from occurring.

[0064] Specifically, in the battery pack 50 according to this embodiment, when the temperature of at least one battery cell 155 rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may control the engine unit 20 to idle, thereby reducing the energy level of the battery cells 155 of the battery module 100 to prevent thermal runaway. When the state of charge (SOC) of the battery module 100 is below a certain SOC, thermal runaway will not occur, and even if it does occur, only a small amount of heat will be released. In this embodiment, the below certain SOC may be approximately 30% or less.

[0065] Hereinafter, a mechanism for preventing thermal runaway according to this embodiment will be described in more detail.

[0066] If the temperature of at least one battery cell 155 of the battery module 100 rises above a preset predetermined temperature, the control unit 500 may first control the alarm unit 400 to notify a user such as a driver of the vehicle 1 of the information so that the user can recognize the dangerous situation through the alarm unit 40 of the vehicle 1.

[0067] Afterwards, the control unit 500 may convert the state of the transmission 30 of the vehicle 1 to the neutral mode. If an alarm is generated by the alarm unit 400 and the transmission 30 is completely converted to the neutral mode, the control unit 500 may close the switch of the relay unit 300 to operate the relay unit 300 so that the engine unit 20 idles.

[0068] Therefore, the energy of the battery module 100 can be converted into kinetic energy and quickly released by the idling of the engine unit 20. Here, the idling of the engine unit 20 can continue until the SOC drops below a predetermined SOC.

[0069] When an abnormal situation occurs due to overheating of a specific battery cell 155, the battery pack 50 according to this embodiment can effectively prevent thermal runaway of the battery cell 155 by idling the engine unit 20 of the vehicle 1 under the control of the control unit 500, thereby significantly reducing the risk of explosion or chain fire of the battery module 100.

[0070] Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in a specific battery cell 155 , the battery pack 50 according to this embodiment can effectively prevent a larger accident such as explosion of the battery pack 50 or even the vehicle 1 .

[0071] Figure 4 It is illustrated in Figure 1 When the vehicle stops, Figure 2 Flowchart of a control method when an abnormal situation occurs in a battery pack.

[0072] Reference Figure 4 , when the vehicle stops, the control unit of the battery pack may determine whether a temperature of battery cells of at least one battery module among the battery modules is higher than a preset temperature ( S10 ).

[0073] If the temperature of at least one battery cell is higher than a preset temperature, the control unit may operate an alarm unit (S12) so that a user such as a driver recognizes a dangerous situation through the alarm unit.

[0074] The control unit may determine whether a transmission of the vehicle is in a neutral state ( S14 ), and if the transmission is not in the neutral state, the control unit may convert the transmission into a neutral mode ( S15 ).

[0075] Afterwards, the control unit may operate the relay unit by closing the switch of the relay unit (S16). Then, the control unit may convert the energy of the battery module into kinetic energy and release the energy by idling the engine unit (S18) to reduce the SOC of the entire battery module so that the battery cell or battery module does not suffer from thermal runaway.

[0076] Figure 5 It is illustrated in Figure 1 When the vehicle is running, Figure 2 Flowchart of a control method when an abnormal situation occurs in a battery pack.

[0077] Reference Figure 5, when the vehicle is running, the control unit of the battery pack may determine whether the temperature of the battery cells of at least one of the battery modules is higher than a preset temperature ( S20 ).

[0078] If the temperature of at least one battery cell is higher than a preset temperature, the control unit may operate an alarm unit ( S22 ) so that a user such as a driver recognizes a dangerous situation through the alarm unit.

[0079] The control unit may determine whether the vehicle is stopped (S23). If the vehicle is stopped, the control unit may determine whether a transmission of the vehicle is in a neutral state (S24). If the transmission is not in a neutral state, the control unit may shift the transmission into a neutral mode (S25). Alternatively, if the vehicle is not stopped but is in a running state according to the determination of whether the vehicle is stopped (S23), the control unit may shift the transmission into a neutral mode.

[0080] Afterwards, the control unit may operate the relay unit by closing the switch of the relay unit (S26). Then, the control unit may convert the energy of the battery module into kinetic energy and release the energy by idling the engine unit (S28) to reduce the SOC of the entire battery module so that the battery cell or battery module does not suffer from thermal runaway.

[0081] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment Figure 1 A diagram of a vehicle's battery pack, Figure 7 It is a diagram that shows when an abnormal situation occurs, Figure 6 A diagram of the operation of the battery pack.

[0082] Since the battery pack 55 of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 50 of the previous embodiment, components substantially the same as or similar to those of the previous embodiment will not be described in detail, and features different from those of the previous embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0083] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the battery pack 55 may include a battery module 100 , a pack case 200 , a relay unit 300 , an alarm unit 400 , a control unit 500 , and an external resistor unit 600 .

[0084] The battery module 100 , the pack housing 200 , the relay unit 300 , the alarm unit 400 , and the control unit 500 are substantially the same as or similar to those of the previous embodiment, and thus will not be described in detail.

[0085] The external resistor unit 600 is provided inside the pack case 200 or outside the pack case 200 and may connect the relay unit 300 to the engine unit 20 of the vehicle 1 .

[0086] If the relay unit 300 is closed, the external resistor unit 600 can release the energy of the battery module 100 as heat energy. That is, in this embodiment, when the temperature of a specific battery cell 155 of at least one of the battery modules 100 rises to or above a predetermined temperature due to overheating, etc., the energy of the battery module 100 can also be released through the external resistor unit 600 in addition to the energy released due to idling of the engine unit 20.

[0087] Therefore, when an abnormal situation occurs in a specific battery cell 155 of the battery module 100 due to abnormal overheating or the like, the battery pack 55 according to this embodiment can more effectively prevent the occurrence of dangerous situations such as thermal runaway.

[0088] According to the embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery pack 50 , 55 having improved safety by preventing thermal runaway, a vehicle 1 including the battery pack 50 , 55 , and a control method for the battery pack 50 , 55 .

[0089] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described, and that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present disclosure, and these modifications should not be understood solely from the technical concepts and viewpoints of the present disclosure.

[0090] Reference numerals

[0091] 1: Vehicle

[0092] 10: Main body

[0093] 20: Engine unit

[0094] 30: Transmission

[0095] 40: Alarm unit

[0096] 50, 55: Battery pack

[0097] 100: Battery module

[0098] 150, 155: Battery cells

[0099] 200: Group shell

[0100] 300: Relay unit

[0101] 400: Alarm unit

[0102] 500: Control unit

[0103] 600: External resistor unit.

Claims

1. A battery pack provided in a vehicle, comprising: at least one battery module having at least one battery cell; a relay unit configured to connect the at least one battery module to an electric motor of the vehicle; a control unit connected to the relay unit and the motor to control the relay unit and the motor; and Group housing, When the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises to above a predetermined temperature, the control unit operates the relay unit to cause the electric motor to idle.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, When the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above the predetermined temperature, the control unit closes the switch of the relay unit.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, When the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above the predetermined temperature, the control unit switches the transmission device of the vehicle to a neutral mode.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2, further comprising: An alarm unit is configured to transmit predetermined danger information to a driver of the vehicle.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, When the temperature of the at least one battery cell of the at least one battery module rises above the predetermined temperature, the control unit controls the alarm unit to send a danger signal to the driver of the vehicle.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, The control unit switches a transmission of the vehicle into a neutral mode while operating the alarm unit, so that the electric motor idles.

7. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein after a preset predetermined time has elapsed from the operation of the alarm unit, the control unit switches the transmission of the vehicle into a neutral mode so that the electric motor idles.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: At least one external resistor unit is configured to connect the relay unit and the electric motor.

9. A method for controlling a battery pack provided in a vehicle, comprising: shifting a transmission of the vehicle into a neutral mode when a temperature of at least one battery cell of at least one battery module rises above a predetermined temperature; above the predetermined temperature, operating a relay unit connected to the at least one battery module; and According to the operation of the relay unit, the electric motor of the vehicle connected to the relay unit is caused to idle.

10. A vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images