Battery module and battery pack including the same

Abstract

The battery module according to the present invention includes: cylindrical battery cells, the top covers of the cylindrical battery cells facing upward, and the cylindrical battery cells arranged in horizontal and vertical directions; a module shell, the module shell being configured to accommodate the cylindrical battery cells; and a cooling cap mounted on a lower end portion of each cylindrical battery cell, wherein the cooling cap protrudes downward from the lower end of the module shell to contact cool air below the module shell, and can protrude at different heights based on a portion preset according to the position at which the cylindrical battery cells are arranged in the module shell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooling technology for a battery module, and more particularly, to a battery module to which a cooling structure is applied to reduce temperature deviation of each battery cell and improve cooling efficiency during cooling using an air cooling method.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0157806 filed in Korea on November 23, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] A secondary battery refers to a battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, unlike a primary battery that cannot be recharged, and is used as a power source for energy storage systems (ESS), electric vehicles (EV), or hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), in addition to being used as a power source for small high-tech electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and notebook computers.

[0004] Currently, it is not possible to obtain sufficient power from just one lithium secondary battery (cell) to drive an electric vehicle. In order to use secondary batteries as the energy source for electric vehicles, a battery module with multiple lithium-ion battery cells connected in series and / or in parallel should be configured. The battery modules are usually connected in series, and a battery pack is configured that includes a battery management system (BMS) for maintaining the functionality of the battery modules, a cooling system, a battery disconnect unit (BDU), wires and cables, etc.

[0005] Secondary battery cells generate heat during repeated charging and discharging. In this case, if the secondary battery cells are not cooled, their temperature continues to rise, thereby degrading their performance and increasing the risk of fire or explosion. Therefore, cooling the secondary battery cells is a top priority when configuring a battery module.

[0006] As an example for cooling the battery cell 1, Figure 1 As shown in FIG, there is a battery module to which a cooling plate 2 is applied at the bottom. The cooling plate 2 includes a bottom plate 2b contacting the bottom surfaces of all secondary battery cells 1 and a plurality of cooling fins 2a extending vertically from the bottom plate 2b to increase the heat dissipation area.

[0007] In the related art, cool air is supplied to the bottom of the battery module to contact the cooling plate 2 , and thus the cool air absorbs heat from each of the secondary battery cells 1 using the cooling plate 2 as a heat transfer medium to cool the secondary battery cells 1 .

[0008] However, because the secondary battery cells 1 are often densely arranged inside the module housing 3, heat exchange occurs between adjacent secondary battery cells 1, resulting in a temperature difference between the secondary battery cells located at the exterior and those located at the interior. Resolving this temperature difference between the secondary battery cells 1 is difficult using the conventional cooling plate 2. Furthermore, because the cold air flows in one direction while absorbing heat, the temperature at the rear portion of the cooling plate 2 is higher than that at the front portion of the cooling plate 2, making it more difficult to quickly cool the secondary battery cells 1 without cooling bias. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues

[0010] The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the prior art, and thus, the present disclosure relates to applying a cooling structure capable of reducing temperature deviation of each battery cell during cooling and further improving cooling efficiency to a battery module.

[0011] However, technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems and a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand other technical problems from the following description.

[0012] Technical Solution

[0013] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module is provided, comprising: cylindrical battery cells arranged with their top covers facing upward in horizontal and vertical directions; a module shell in which the cylindrical battery cells are housed; and a cooling cap mounted on a lower end portion of the cylindrical battery cells, wherein the cooling cap protrudes below the lower end of the module shell to contact cool air in the lower portion of the module shell and protrudes to different heights for predetermined areas according to positions of the cylindrical battery cells inside the module shell.

[0014] Each of the cooling caps may include a receiving portion into which a lower end portion of the cylindrical battery cell is inserted, and a heat dissipation portion extending downward from the receiving portion.

[0015] The cooling cap may include: a first cooling cap, the first cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion divided into a plurality of fins; a second cooling cap, the second cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion shorter than the heat dissipation portion of the first cooling cap; a third cooling cap, the third cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion longer than the heat dissipation portion of the second cooling cap and shorter than the heat dissipation portion of the first cooling cap; and a fourth cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion having the same length as the heat dissipation portion of the first cooling cap.

[0016] The predetermined area may include: a first area on the left side, a third area on the right side, and a second area between the first area and the third area, which are divided in the left and right width directions of the module shell, wherein the second cooling cap, the third cooling cap, and the fourth cooling cap are installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the first area and the third area from the front of the module shell, and the first cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the second area.

[0017] The first region may include a 1_1 region of a front portion, a 1_2 region of a middle portion, and a 1_3 region of a rear portion divided in a front-rear width direction of the module housing, and

[0018] The third region may include: a 3_1 region of the front part, a 3_2 region of the middle part, and a 3_3 region of the rear part divided in the front-to-rear width direction of the module housing, wherein the second cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the 1_1 region and the 3_1 region, the third cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the 1_2 region and the 3_2 region, and the fourth cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the 1_3 region and the 3_3 region.

[0019] The first region and the third region may be symmetrical to each other with respect to the second region.

[0020] The cooling cap may be formed of aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), or graphite.

[0021] At least one of the cooling caps may be configured such that the heat dissipating portion has a cylindrical shape having a plurality of holes or a lattice structure.

[0022] The module housing may include a lower frame and an upper frame, which are vertically connected to each other and the cylindrical battery cells are located between the lower frame and the upper frame, wherein the cooling cap protrudes below the bottom surface of the lower frame, wherein the upper frame includes: an upper plate portion, which covers the upper portion of the cylindrical battery cells and includes a hole at a position corresponding to the top cover of each cylindrical battery cell; and a bus bar, which extends linearly from the upper plate portion in the front-to-rear direction of the module housing and is spaced apart from each other by a certain interval in the left-right width direction of the module housing, wherein the upper end of the battery can and the top cover of the cylindrical battery cell are connected to the bus bar by metal wire in a predetermined pattern.

[0023] The upper frame may further include partition plates each protruding upward between a (+) metal wire originating from the top cover and a (-) metal wire originating from the upper end of the battery can.

[0024] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack including the battery module is also provided.

[0025] Beneficial effects

[0026] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module having a cooling structure capable of reducing temperature deviation of each battery cell during cooling and further improving cooling efficiency may be provided.

[0027] Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the specification and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a cooling structure of a battery module according to the related art.

[0029] Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module viewed from the bottom according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cylindrical battery cell to which a cooling cap is installed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 4 It is an example Figure 2 The bottom of the battery module is divided into several areas.

[0032] Figure 5 This is an example of Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery module taken along line AA'.

[0033] Figure 6 This is an example of Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery module taken along line BB'.

[0034] Figure 7 This is an example of Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of the battery module taken along line CC'.

[0035] Figure 8 This is an example of Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery module taken along line DD'.

[0036] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the cooling cap.

[0037] Figure 10is a plan view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A partially enlarged stereogram of . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before proceeding with the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to common and dictionary meanings, but rather should be interpreted based on meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that enables the inventor to define terms suitable for the best description.

[0040] Therefore, the description proposed herein is merely a preferred example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, so it should be understood that other equivalent forms and modifications can be obtained without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. These embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and the scope of the present disclosure will be fully conveyed to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, for the purpose of clarity, the thickness and size of each element shown in the accompanying drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically drawn. Therefore, the size of each element does not fully reflect the actual size or ratio.

[0041] Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module viewed from the bottom according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cylindrical battery cell to which a cooling cap is installed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 It is an example Figure 2 The lower part of the battery module is divided into several areas in the figure.

[0042] Reference Figures 2 to 4 , a battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cylindrical battery cell 100 , a module case 200 , and a cooling cap 300 .

[0043] The battery module 10 according to the present disclosure may include a cylindrical battery cell 100. The cylindrical battery cell 100 is a can-type secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can. Although not shown in detail, the cylindrical battery cell 100 may include a cylindrical battery can 120, an electrode assembly, and a top cover 110. The cylindrical battery cell 100 may be manufactured by placing an electrolyte and an electrode assembly into the battery can 120, placing the top cover 110 at the upper open end of the battery can 120, and sealing the battery can 120 by crimping the uppermost end of the battery can 120.

[0044] The electrode assembly of the cylindrical battery cell 100 is a jelly-roll type electrode assembly in which a separator is located between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a positive electrode tab is attached to the positive electrode and connected to the top cover 110, and a negative electrode tab is attached to the negative electrode and connected to the lower end of the battery can 120. Therefore, in a typical cylindrical battery cell 100, the top cover 110 serves as a positive electrode terminal and the battery can 120 serves as a negative electrode terminal.

[0045] For reference, although the battery module 10 in this embodiment is constructed by using cylindrical battery cells 100, the battery module 10 may be constructed by using prismatic battery cells instead of cylindrical battery cells. In this case, the cooling cap 300 described below is deformed to fit around the prismatic battery cells.

[0046] The cylindrical battery cells 100 may be connected in series and / or in parallel according to the output and capacity required by the battery module 10. For example, a predetermined number of cylindrical battery cells 100 may be housed inside the module housing 200 in horizontal and vertical directions with the top cover 110 facing upward, and the cylindrical battery cells 100 may be arranged in series and / or in parallel by connecting the top cover 110 or the upper end of the battery can 120 of each cylindrical battery cell 100 to the metal strip bus bar 223 using a wire, as will be described in more detail below.

[0047] The module case 200 is a structure that houses the cylindrical battery cells 100 and protects the cylindrical battery cells 100 from external impacts, vibrations, etc. The module case 200 of the present disclosure includes a lower frame 210 and an upper frame 220 that are disposed to be vertically coupled to each other with the cylindrical battery cells 100 located therebetween.

[0048] The lower frame 210 may include four side portions in the front, rear, left, and right directions, a lower plate portion forming a bottom surface, and an open upper portion. The lower plate portion may include a holder for fixedly supporting the cylindrical battery cells 100 and a hole for allowing the cooling cap 300 mounted on the lower end portion of the cylindrical battery cells 100 to protrude below the lower plate portion.

[0049] The upper frame 220 may include four side portions in front, rear, left, and right directions, an upper plate portion 221 covering the uppermost end of the cylindrical battery cells 100 , and an opened lower portion.

[0050] To easily attach and detach the upper frame 220 and the lower frame 210 , hooks may be provided on the front and rear portions of the upper frame 220 , and hook holes into which the hooks may be inserted may be provided in the front and rear portions of the lower frame 210 .

[0051] The cylindrical battery cells 100 may be arranged inside the module case 200 in horizontal (±X axis) and vertical (±Y axis) directions with the top cover 110 facing upward, and may be fixedly supported by a holder inside the module case 200 .

[0052] The cooling caps 300 are devices for effectively dissipating heat generated in the cylindrical battery cells 100 and are respectively mounted on the lower end portions of the cylindrical battery cells 100. Portions of the cooling caps 300 are exposed to the flow path of cool air supplied horizontally in the lower portion of the module housing 200 to dissipate heat from the cylindrical battery cells 100 using the cool air. In this case, the cylindrical battery cells 100 can be independently cooled by the cooling caps 300 respectively mounted on the cylindrical battery cells 100.

[0053] In addition, the cooling cap 300 may protrude below the lower end of the module case 200 to have different heights for predetermined areas according to the positions of the cylindrical battery cells 100 inside the module case 200 .

[0054] That is, in the battery module 10 according to the present disclosure, the same cooling cap 300 is not applied to all battery cells 100. Different cooling caps 300 for predetermined areas may be applied according to the positions of the cylindrical battery cells 100 located inside the module case 200.

[0055] In detail, such as Figure 2 As shown in FIG, the cooling cap 300 of the present embodiment includes a first cooling cap 310 , a second cooling cap 320 , a third cooling cap 330 and a fourth cooling cap 340 .

[0056] First, common features of the cooling caps 300 will be described, and then the differences therebetween will be described.

[0057] The cooling cap 300 is formed of a material having excellent thermal conductivity such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu) or graphite, and generally includes Figure 3 For reference, an insulating sheet may be coated around the battery can 120 to ensure insulation between the cooling cap 300 formed of a metal material and the cylindrical battery cell 100 .

[0058] A lower end portion of the cylindrical battery cell 100 may be inserted into the receiving portion 300 a , and the receiving portion 300 a may surround a portion of the outer circumferential surface and the bottom surface of the cylindrical battery cell 100 .

[0059] When compared with the prior art cooling plate 2 (see FIG. Figure 1), the accommodating portion 300 a of the cooling cap 300 can advantageously increase the conductive heat dissipation effect between the cooling cap 300 and the cylindrical battery cell 100 .

[0060] The heat dissipation portion 300b extends downward from the receiving portion 300a to maximize the convection heat dissipation effect. The heat dissipation portion 300b may protrude below the lower end of the module housing 200 to contact cool air.

[0061] The difference between the first to fourth cooling caps 310 to 340 lies in the length or shape of the receiving portion 300 a or the heat radiating portion 300 b .

[0062] When the contact area between objects is large, conductive heat dissipation is effective. Accordingly, the conductive heat dissipation performance of each cooling cap 300 can be varied by reducing or increasing the length of the accommodating portion 300a that contacts the cylindrical battery cell 100. When the area of ​​the object exposed to air is large, convective heat dissipation is effective. Therefore, the convective heat dissipation performance of each cooling cap 300 can be varied by increasing or decreasing the heat dissipation area by varying the length or shape of the heat dissipating portion 300b exposed to air.

[0063] That is, by differently configuring at least one of the receiving portion 300 a and the heat dissipating portion 300 b , the first to fourth cooling caps 310 to 340 may have different heat dissipating properties.

[0064] For details, refer to Figure 3 When the first cooling cap 310 and the fourth cooling cap 340 are compared with each other, since the receiving portion 300 a of the first cooling cap 310 is longer than the receiving portion 300 a of the fourth cooling cap 340 , the area surrounding the cylindrical battery cell 100 is larger.

[0065] In addition, the heat dissipation portions 300b of the first cooling cap 310 and the fourth cooling cap 340 have the same length, but different shapes. The heat dissipation portion 300b of the first cooling cap 310 has a main body divided into a plurality of fins F1, F2, and F3, while the heat dissipation portion 300b of the fourth cooling cap 340 has a simple cylindrical shape. Therefore, the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation portion 300b of the first cooling cap 310 that is exposed to air is larger than the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation portion 300b of the fourth cooling cap 340.

[0066] Therefore, during air cooling, the cylindrical battery cell 100 using the first cooling cap 310 may discharge heat into the air more smoothly than the cylindrical battery cell 100 using the fourth cooling cap 340 .

[0067] Despite Figure 3Although not shown, when comparing the second cooling cap 320 and the third cooling cap 330 with the fourth cooling cap 340, the receiving portion 300a is the same and the length of the heat dissipation portion 300b is different. Among the three cooling caps 300, the heat dissipation portion 300b of the second cooling cap 320 is the shortest, and the heat dissipation portion 300b of the third cooling cap 330 is the second shortest.

[0068] In other words, among the four cooling caps 300 of the present disclosure, the first cooling cap 310 includes a relatively long receiving portion 300a compared to the other cooling caps, and includes a heat dissipation portion 300b including a plurality of fins F1, F2, and F3. The first cooling cap 310 and the fourth cooling cap 340 have the longest heat dissipation portions 300b, the second cooling cap 320 is the shortest, and the third cooling cap 330 is longer than the second cooling cap 320 and shorter than the first cooling cap 310 or the fourth cooling cap 340.

[0069] Accordingly, the heat dissipation performance of the cooling caps 300 is good in the order of the first cooling cap 310 > the fourth cooling cap 340 > the third cooling cap 330 > the second cooling cap 320 .

[0070] As such, since the cooling caps 300 having different heat dissipation performances are mounted on the cylindrical battery cells 100 with respect to predetermined areas, a cooling temperature difference according to positions of the cylindrical battery cells 100 during air cooling may be reduced.

[0071] The predetermined area can be determined by analyzing the temperature distribution of each area of ​​the battery module 10 during charging / recharging of the battery module 10 and the temperature change of each area of ​​the cool air flowing along the lower end of the module case 200 during air cooling in a state where the cooling device is not driven.

[0072] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 The predetermined area may include a first area D1, a second area D2, and a third area D3, which are divided from left to right in the left-right width direction (±Y axis direction) of the module housing 200. The second area D2 is located between the first area D1 and the third area D3 and extends from the front to the rear of the module housing 200. The first area D1 is the left area of ​​the module housing 200 extending from the front to the rear of the module housing 200, and the third area D3 is the right area of ​​the module housing 200 extending from the front to the rear of the module housing 200. The first area D1 and the third area D3 are symmetrical to each other with respect to the second area D2.

[0073] Each of the first region D1 and the third region D3 can be divided into three regions. Each region is divided by considering the flow direction of cold air, and assuming that cold air enters from the front of the battery module 10, flows horizontally along the lower portion of the module housing 200, and exits to the rear of the battery module 10.

[0074] The first area D1 can be divided into the 1st area D1_1 of the front part, the 1st area D1_2 of the middle part and the 1st area D1_3 of the rear part in the front-to-back width direction (±Y axis direction) of the module shell 200, and the third area D3 can be divided into the 3_1st area D3_1 of the front part, the 3_2nd area D3_2 of the middle part and the 3_3rd area D3_3 of the rear part in the front-to-back width direction of the module shell 200.

[0075] like Figure 2 、 Figures 4 to 8 As shown in FIG, in order to reduce temperature deviations among the cylindrical battery cells 100 in seven regions, four types of cooling caps 300 are used.

[0076] In the temperature distribution of the battery module 10 using the cylindrical battery cells 100, a heat island phenomenon is observed, where the temperature in the central region is high and the temperature in the edge regions is low. To address the heat island phenomenon, the cooling efficiency of the second region D2 corresponding to the central portion must be increased to be higher than the cooling efficiency of the first region D1 or the third region D3.

[0077] Therefore, the first cooling cap 310 is installed on the cylindrical battery cell 100 at a position corresponding to the second area D2. For reference, although the first cooling cap 310 is applied to all of the second area D2, for example, when the size of the battery module 10 is larger than that of the battery module of the present embodiment, the second area D2 may be subdivided, and the first cooling cap 310 having different lengths may be applied to the subdivided areas.

[0078] The second cooling cap 320 , the third cooling cap 330 , and the fourth cooling cap 340 are mounted on the cylindrical battery cells 100 located in the first and third regions D1 and D3 from the front of the module case 200 .

[0079] Because cool air flows from front to rear along the lower portion of module housing 200 to absorb heat, the air temperature at the rear is relatively high, and the flow rate and volume tend to decrease toward the rear. To compensate for temperature deviations, the second cooling cap 320 is used in area 1_1 (D1_1), the third cooling cap 330 (having better heat dissipation performance than area 1_1 (D1_1) is used in area 1_2 (D1_2), and the fourth cooling cap 340 (having better heat dissipation performance than area 1_2 (D1_2) is used in area 1_3 (D1_3). Regarding area 3 (D3), for the same reasons as for area 1 (D1), the second cooling cap 320 is used in area 3_1 (D3_1), the third cooling cap 330 is used in area 3_2 (D3_2), and the fourth cooling cap 340 is used in area 3_3 (D3_3).

[0080] Although the predetermined areas are seven areas in the present embodiment, this is merely an example, and the predetermined areas may be determined to be more or less than seven areas depending on the size or structure of the battery module 10 or the flow direction of the cold air, and the temperature deviation may be reduced by increasing or decreasing the cooling portion of the cylindrical battery cells 100 in the corresponding area, thereby lowering the average temperature.

[0081] As such, since the battery module 10 according to the present disclosure cools the cylindrical battery cells 100 independently by using the plurality of cooling caps 300, when compared with the prior art (see Figure 1 ), the cylindrical battery cell 100 can be quickly cooled and the temperature deviation can be managed for each region.

[0082] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating different types of cooling caps 300A, 300B according to the present disclosure.

[0083] exist Figure 9 In the cooling cap 300A of (a), the receiving portion 300Aa is short, but a plurality of holes H1 are formed in the heat dissipation portion 300Ab to increase the heat dissipation area and improve ventilation. Figure 9 In the cooling cap 300B of (b), the accommodating portion 300Ba extends to half the height of the cylindrical battery cell 100 to maximize the conductive heat dissipation effect and the convection heat dissipation effect, and a three-dimensional grid structure is formed in the heat dissipation portion 300Bb.

[0084] As such, the cooling cap 300 may have different heat dissipation properties by variously changing the length and shape of the receiving portion 300 a or the heat dissipation portion 300 b .

[0085] Figure 10 is a plan view illustrating a battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A partially enlarged stereogram of .

[0086] Next, we will refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 A configuration of the upper frame 220 of the battery module 10 and a connection configuration of the cylindrical battery cells 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are briefly described.

[0087] like Figure 10 As shown in FIG, all of the cylindrical battery cells 100 are upright with the top cover 110 facing upward, and are accommodated in the module case 200 in a horizontal or vertical direction.

[0088] The upper plate portion 221 of the upper frame 220 has a small hole at a position corresponding to the top cover 110 of the cylindrical battery cell 100. A middle portion of the top cover 110 and the uppermost end of the battery can 120 can be seen below the hole.

[0089] A plurality of bus bars 223 are located on the top surface of the upper plate portion 221. Each bus bar 223 has a long strip shape and extends linearly in the front-to-rear direction of the module housing 200, and the bus bars 223 are spaced apart from each other in the left-to-right direction of the module housing 200 between the cylindrical battery cells 100. The leftmost bus bar 224a in the figure can be integrally formed with the positive terminal T1 of the battery module 10, and the rightmost bus bar 224b can be integrally formed with the negative terminal T2 of the battery module 10. When the upper ends of the top cover 110 and the battery cans 120 are connected to the bus bars 223 in a predetermined pattern using metal wires, the cylindrical battery cells 100 are connected in series and / or in parallel with each other.

[0090] That is, Figure 11 As shown in FIG, for example, in each cylindrical battery cell 100 in the first column adjacent to the leftmost bus bar 223, the upper end of the battery can 120 is connected to the leftmost bus bar 223 by using a (-) wire W2, and the top cover 110 is connected to the adjacent second bus bar 223 by using a (+) wire W1. In each cylindrical battery cell 100 in the second column, the upper end of the battery can 120 is connected to the second bus bar 223 by using a (-) wire W2, and the top cover 110 is connected to the adjacent third bus bar 223 by using a (+) wire W1. In this pattern, when wire bonding is performed up to the rightmost bus bar 223, the cylindrical battery cells 100 in the same column are connected in parallel, and the cylindrical battery cells 100 in different columns are connected in series.

[0091] The upper plate portion 221 includes separators 225. Each separator 225 protrudes upward between the (+) metal wire W1 originating from the top cover 110 and the (-) metal wire W2 originating from the upper end of the battery can 120. When performing wire bonding, the separators 225 can reduce the risk of short circuits between the metal wires and prevent simultaneous contact with the (+) metal wire W1 and the (-) metal wire W2 even if a metal object accidentally falls onto the upper plate portion 221.

[0092] The battery pack according to the present disclosure may include one or more battery modules according to the present disclosure. In addition, in addition to the battery modules, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may further include a battery pack housing for accommodating the battery modules and various devices for controlling the charge and discharge of each battery module, for example, a battery management system (BMS), a current sensor, a fuse, etc.

[0093] The battery module according to the present disclosure may be applied to a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, or an energy storage system (ESS).

[0094] Although one or more embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0095] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that when terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front and back are used, these terms are for convenience of description only and may vary depending on the position of the target object, the position of the observer, etc.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: Cylindrical battery cells arranged in horizontal and vertical directions with top covers facing upward; a module housing in which the cylindrical battery cells are housed; and a cooling cap mounted on the lower end portion of the cylindrical battery cell, It is characterized in that the cooling cap protrudes below the lower end of the module housing to contact the cool air in the lower part of the module housing, and the cooling cap protrudes to different heights for predetermined areas according to the position of the cylindrical battery cells inside the module housing.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the cooling caps comprises: an accommodating portion into which a lower end portion of the cylindrical battery cell is inserted; and The heat dissipation portion extends downward from the accommodating portion.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The cooling cap comprises: a first cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion divided into a plurality of fins; a second cooling cap, the second cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion shorter than the heat dissipation portion of the first cooling cap; a third cooling cap including a heat dissipation portion that is longer than the heat dissipation portion of the second cooling cap and shorter than the heat dissipation portion of the first cooling cap; and A fourth cooling cap includes a heat dissipation portion having the same length as the heat dissipation portion of the first cooling cap.

4. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein, The predetermined area includes: A first area on the left side, a third area on the right side, and a second area between the first area and the third area divided in the left-right width direction of the module housing. wherein the second cooling cap, the third cooling cap, and the fourth cooling cap are mounted on the cylindrical battery cells located in the first area and the third area from the front of the module housing, and The first cooling cap is mounted on the cylindrical battery cells located in the second area.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein: The first region includes a 1_1 region of a front portion, a 1_2 region of a middle portion, and a 1_3 region of a rear portion divided in a front-rear width direction of the module housing, and The third region includes a 3_1 region of the front portion, a 3_2 region of the middle portion, and a 3_3 region of the rear portion, which are divided in the front-rear width direction of the module housing. The second cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the 1_1 area and the 3_1 area. The third cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the 1_2 area and the 3_2 area, and The fourth cooling cap is installed on the cylindrical battery cells located in the 1_3 area and the 3_3 area.

6. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein: The first region and the third region are symmetrical to each other with respect to the second region.

7. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling cap is formed of aluminum Al, copper Cu or graphite.

8. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: At least one of the cooling caps is configured such that the heat dissipating portion has a columnar shape having a plurality of holes.

9. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: At least one of the cooling caps is configured such that the heat dissipating portion has a columnar shape having a grid structure.

10. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: At least one of the cooling caps is disposed such that the receiving portion extends to a half height of the cylindrical battery cell and a three-dimensional grid structure is formed in the heat dissipation portion.

11. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The module housing includes a lower frame and an upper frame, the lower frame and the upper frame are vertically coupled to each other and the cylindrical battery cells are located between the lower frame and the upper frame. wherein the cooling cap protrudes below the bottom surface of the lower frame, Wherein, the upper frame includes: an upper plate portion covering upper portions of the cylindrical battery cells and including a hole at a position corresponding to the top cover of each cylindrical battery cell; and bus bars extending linearly from the upper plate portion in the front-rear direction of the module case and spaced apart from each other at intervals in the left-right width direction of the module case, The upper end of the battery can of the cylindrical battery cell and the top cover are connected to the bus bar in a predetermined pattern through metal wires.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein: The upper frame further includes separators each of which protrudes upward between the positive electrode wires from the top cover and the negative electrode wires from the upper end of the battery can.

13. A battery pack, characterized in that: The battery pack includes the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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