Battery module with improved fire protection performance

Abstract

A battery module capable of effectively preventing the occurrence or spread of fire is disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, the battery module comprises: a single-cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries stacked on top of each other; and a module housing having a lower plate, side plates, and an upper plate to form an internal space, the single-cell assembly being housed within the internal space, and the module housing including a trapping portion formed in at least a portion of the inner surface of each of the side plates to be outwardly concave.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0029058, filed in Korea on March 4, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to a battery, and more specifically, to a battery module capable of effectively preventing the occurrence or spread of fire, as well as a battery pack including the battery module and an energy storage system. Background Technology

[0003] In recent years, with the rapid increase in demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, cameras and mobile phones, and the urgent commercialization of robots and electric vehicles, research on high-performance secondary batteries that allow for repeated charging and discharging has been actively underway.

[0004] Currently commercially available rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-zinc (NiZn), and lithium-ion batteries. In particular, compared to nickel-based rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion batteries exhibit virtually no memory effect, ensuring free charging and discharging. Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries have attracted significant attention due to their extremely low discharge rate and high energy density.

[0005] Secondary batteries can be used individually, but typically, multiple secondary batteries are electrically connected in series and / or parallel in many cases. In particular, multiple secondary batteries can be electrically connected to each other and housed in a module housing to construct a battery module. Furthermore, battery modules can be used individually, or two or more battery modules can be electrically connected in series and / or parallel to construct more advanced devices, such as battery packs.

[0006] Recently, with the prominence of issues such as power shortages or eco-friendly energy, energy storage systems (ESS) for storing generated electricity are receiving increasing attention. Typically, the use of such energy storage systems facilitates the construction of systems such as smart grids, enabling easy control of power supply and demand in specific regions or cities.

[0007] Compared to small or medium-sized battery packs, battery packs used in energy storage systems may require very large capacities. Therefore, battery packs typically comprise a large number of battery modules. Furthermore, to increase energy density, multiple battery modules are often constructed to be densely packed into a very narrow space.

[0008] However, if multiple battery modules are concentrated in the confined space described above, they may be prone to fire. For example, heat propagation may occur within a battery module, causing hot gases to escape from at least one battery cell (secondary cell). Furthermore, when the gases are expelled, hot sparks may be emitted, and these sparks may contain active material or molten aluminum particles separated from the electrodes inside the battery cell. Additionally, in some cases, flashes may be generated within some battery cells. If such sparks or flashes leak to the outside of the battery module, a fire may occur within the battery pack.

[0009] In particular, since a large amount of oxygen may be present outside the battery module, if sparks or other ignition sources are expelled to the outside of the battery module, they may encounter oxygen and ignite a fire. If a fire occurs in a specific battery module, it may spread to other adjacent battery modules or battery packs. Especially since many batteries are concentrated in the confined space of an energy storage system, it is not easy to suppress a fire if it occurs. Furthermore, considering the size and function of the energy storage system, there is a risk that a fire occurring inside the battery pack could cause very serious damage to property and human life. Therefore, even if heat propagation occurs in a specific battery cell or module, generating sparks or ignition sources, it is important to suppress these sparks or ignition sources in their early stages and prevent them from developing into a fire in the battery module or battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] This disclosure is designed to address the problems of related technologies, and therefore, this disclosure aims to provide: a battery module configured to effectively suppress fires even if sparks, flames, etc. are generated therein due to heat propagation; and a battery pack and energy storage system including the battery module.

[0012] However, the technical problems to be solved by this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the following disclosure other problems not mentioned herein.

[0013] Technical solutions

[0014] In one aspect of this disclosure, a battery module is provided, comprising: a cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries stacked on top of each other; and a module housing including a lower plate, a side plate, and a upper plate to form an internal space such that the cell assembly is accommodated in the internal space, the module housing including a trapping unit formed in at least a portion of the inner surface of the side plate to be concave outward.

[0015] Here, a single component can be configured such that multiple pouch-type secondary batteries are stacked vertically in a flat position.

[0016] Additionally, in a single-cell assembly, the electrode leads of the pouch-type secondary battery can be located in the front-rear direction of the module housing, and the module housing can be configured such that at least one of the front and rear sides of the module housing is open.

[0017] Furthermore, the battery module according to this disclosure may further include a busbar assembly located at an opening in the module housing and configured to be connected to the electrode leads.

[0018] Additionally, when gas is generated from a single component, the module housing can be configured to discharge the generated gas to at least one of the front and rear sides.

[0019] In addition, the trapping unit can be formed in at least the center of the side plate based on the front-to-back direction.

[0020] In addition, the trapping unit can be at least partially shaped such that the depth of the concave portion of the trapping unit gradually increases in the forward or backward direction.

[0021] Additionally, the module housing may further include a protrusion formed on at least one end of the trapping unit to project in a central direction.

[0022] In addition, the trapping unit can be configured such that at least one end of the trapping unit is concave in the front-back direction.

[0023] In another aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack including a battery module according to this disclosure is also provided.

[0024] In another aspect of this disclosure, an energy storage system including a battery module according to this disclosure is also provided.

[0025] Beneficial effects

[0026] According to this disclosure, fires can be effectively prevented in battery modules.

[0027] In particular, according to embodiments of this disclosure, even if sparks or flames are generated due to heat propagation phenomena in specific battery cells included in the battery module, it is possible to effectively prevent such sparks or flames from being discharged to the outside.

[0028] Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the occurrence of fires caused by external emissions of sparks, etc., can be suppressed.

[0029] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, gas can be easily vented to the outside of the battery module while preventing leakage such as sparks. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the battery module from exploding and fundamentally prevent fires from occurring outside the battery module.

[0030] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, even if a fire occurs inside the battery module, the fire can be quickly extinguished by blocking the flame exhaust and preventing it from spreading.

[0031] In addition, this disclosure may have various other effects, and these effects will be described in each embodiment, or any effects that can be readily deduced by those skilled in the art will not be described in detail. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, are intended to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as limited to the drawings.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the construction of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of some of the components.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a view showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic view illustrating the spark trapping effect when sparks occur at some secondary batteries in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing a single-unit assembly separate from the battery module according to this disclosure.

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 8 It is shown Figure 7 A magnified view of part E1.

[0041] Figure 9 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 13 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 14 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 15 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 16 It is shown Figure 15 A magnified view of part of A6. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terminology used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to its general or dictionary meaning, but rather is interpreted based on the meaning and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure, on the basis of allowing the inventors to appropriately define the terminology to obtain the best interpretation.

[0049] Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are merely preferred examples for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the construction of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of some of the components.

[0051] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery module according to this disclosure includes a single unit 100 and a module housing 200.

[0052] The single-cell assembly 100 may include multiple secondary batteries 110 (cell batteries). Each secondary battery 110 may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery casing. Specifically, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the secondary battery 110 included in the single-cell assembly 100 can be a pouch-type secondary battery. However, other types of secondary batteries 110 (such as cylindrical or prismatic batteries) can also be used as the single-cell assembly 100.

[0053] Multiple secondary batteries 110 can be stacked on top of each other to form a single-cell assembly 100. For example, as shown in the figures, multiple secondary batteries 110 can be stacked in a vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the figures). Each pouch-type secondary battery 110 may include electrode leads 111, which may be located at both ends or one end of each secondary battery 110. Secondary batteries 110 with electrode leads 111 protruding in two directions are referred to as bidirectional cells, and secondary batteries with electrode leads 111 protruding in one direction are referred to as unidirectional cells. For example, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The secondary battery 110 shown is a bidirectional single cell, and the electrode leads 111 can be considered to be positioned at both ends in the Y-axis direction. However, the secondary battery 110 of the battery module according to this disclosure may also have the form in which the electrode leads 111 are positioned only at one end in the Y-axis direction (e.g., one end in the +Y-axis direction). This disclosure is not limited to any particular type or form of secondary battery 110, and various types of secondary batteries 110 known at the time of filing of this application can be used in the single cell assembly 100 of this disclosure. In this specification, the case where the secondary battery 110 is a bidirectional single cell will be described primarily.

[0054] The module housing 200 may have empty spaces formed therein and is configured to accommodate the single-unit component 100. Furthermore, as shown in the figures, the module housing 200 may include a lower plate 210, side plates 220, and an upper plate 230. The module housing 200 can be manufactured by integrally forming at least some plates, or by connecting some plates to each other using fastening methods such as bolts or welding. For example, the lower plate 210 and the side plates 220 may be integrally formed to form a lower housing.

[0055] The lower plate 210, side plate 220, and upper plate 230 define an internal space in which the unit assembly 100 can be housed. For example, the lower plate 210 and side plate 220 can be formed in a U-shape or a box shape to constitute a lower housing. Additionally, the upper plate 230 can be attached to the upper open end of the lower housing to cover the upper end of the unit assembly 100. As shown in the figures, the upper plate 230 can be configured with curved shapes at both ends, but it can also be formed in various other shapes to connect with the side plate 220. Alternatively, the module housing 200 can be formed as a single frame in which the lower plate 210, side plate 220, and upper plate 230 are integrally formed.

[0056] Specifically, in this disclosure, the module housing 200 may include a trapping unit 221. The trapping unit 221 may be formed on the side plate 220, particularly on the inner surface of the side plate 220. Additionally, the trapping unit 221 may be formed outwardly concave at at least a portion of the inner surface of the side plate 220. This will be referred to... Figure 3 Further description.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a view showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above. For example, Figure 3 This can be seen as an observation from above with the upper plate 230 removed. Figure 1 and Figure 2 A view of the battery module.

[0058] refer to Figures 1 to 3 The side plates 220 of the module housing 200 may include a left plate 220L and a right plate 220R. Here, it can be assumed that, in the figures, the left plate 220L and the right plate 220R are located at opposite ends in the X-axis direction relative to the single-unit assembly 100. Specifically, the side plates 220 may include a trapping unit 221 having an inner surface that is concave in the outward direction, as shown in... Figure 3 The portion indicated by the circle is concave. Here, "outer direction" can refer to the direction opposite to that of the individual battery cell, i.e., the outer direction of the battery module. For example, in Figure 3 In its construction, the left plate 220L may include a trapping unit 221 whose inner surface is concave in the left direction (+X-axis direction), as indicated by the arrow. Similarly, the right plate 220R may include a trapping unit 221 whose inner surface is concave in the right direction (-X-axis direction), as indicated by the arrow. In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the direction toward the center of the battery module (e.g., the direction in which the individual component 100 is located) is referred to as the inward direction, while the direction toward the outside of the battery module is referred to as the outward direction.

[0059] The trapping unit 221 can be considered as having its inner surface of the side plate 220 formed as concave, and its outer surface formed as convex in order to form such a concave portion. That is, as... Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in order to form the trapping unit 221, the side plate 220 may have a concave inner surface and an outwardly protruding outer surface. However, if the side plate 220 is formed to be thick, the outer surface may be formed not to protrude outwards.

[0060] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the trapping unit 221 formed at the module housing 200 can effectively prevent high-temperature sparks or flames from leaking to the outside of the module housing 200. This will be referred to Figure 4 To describe in more detail.

[0061] Figure 4 This is a schematic view illustrating the spark trapping effect when a spark occurs at some of the secondary batteries 110 in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] refer to Figure 4 As indicated by K, when a spark is emitted from a specific secondary battery 110, the emitted spark can be captured by the capturing unit 221 of the side plate 220. That is, the spark emitted from the secondary battery 110 can be discharged into the internal space of the module housing 200, and the capturing unit 221 is present in the internal space of the module housing 200. In addition, the spark flows into the concave portion of the capturing unit 221 and moves along the concave shape, and then the movement of the spark can be blocked at the end of the concave portion.

[0063] For example, inside the capture unit 221, the spark can be as follows: Figure 4 As indicated by the arrows, the movement of the spark can be blocked or its direction of movement can be changed at the horizontal ends of the capturing unit 221, as indicated by A1 and A1'. Therefore, the capturing unit 221 allows sparks generated inside the module housing 200 to be captured in its concave space. Thus, sparks and the like are not discharged to the outside of the module housing 200. According to this implementation, it is possible to prevent sparks and the like from contacting oxygen present outside the module housing 200, thereby reducing the risk of fire. Furthermore, in this case, it is possible to prevent sparks and the like from moving to other components outside the battery module, such as another battery module, and thus preventing a fire from starting in that corresponding battery module.

[0064] The individual module 100 can be configured such that multiple pouch-type secondary batteries 110 are stacked vertically in a flat position. This will refer to Figure 5 To describe in more detail.

[0065] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing a single-unit component 100 separate from the battery module according to this disclosure.

[0066] refer to Figure 5 In the battery module according to this disclosure, the secondary battery 110 included in the single-cell assembly 100 is a pouch-type secondary battery 110 and can be arranged in a flat position. Specifically, the pouch-type secondary battery 110 may have approximately two wide surfaces and can be arranged in a flat shape such that the two wide surfaces face upwards and downwards. For example, Figure 5The XY plane can be formed to be the same plane as the lower plate 210 of the module housing 200. On the XY plane, one surface of the secondary battery 110 stacked at the bottom can be placed. In addition, the secondary batteries 110 in a flat position can be stacked in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the figure) so that their upper and lower surfaces face each other.

[0067] According to this configuration, the sealing portion of all secondary batteries 110 can be configured as a capturing unit 221 facing the side plate 220. Therefore, even if sparks or the like are emitted from any secondary battery 110, the emitted sparks can be captured by the capturing unit 221. For example, in Figure 5 In this configuration, even if a spark is generated in any of the secondary batteries 110 stacked in the vertical direction and is discharged in the direction indicated by arrows A2 and A2', the discharged spark can be directed to the collection unit 221 of the side plate 220. Therefore, for all the stacked secondary batteries 110, when a spark is emitted, the collection unit 221 can handle the spark.

[0068] Specifically, the individual component 100 can be configured such that the electrode leads 111 of the pouch-type secondary battery 110 are located in the front-rear direction of the module housing 200. For example, refer to Figure 5 Each of the pouch-type secondary cells 110 disposed in the individual component 100 can be configured such that the electrode leads 111 are led forward (in the +Y axis direction) or backward (in the -Y axis direction).

[0069] Additionally, the module housing 200 can be configured such that at least one of its front and rear portions is open. For example, see reference... Figure 5 In this configuration, the module housing 200 may include a front panel 240 and a rear panel 250. In this case, as indicated by O1, the front panel 240 may be configured such that a portion of the front panel 240 is open. And, as indicated by O2, the rear panel 250 may be configured such that a portion of the rear panel 250 is open.

[0070] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, when the spark is ejected from the unit component 100 along with the gas, the gas is allowed to smoothly exit to the outside of the module housing 200, while the spark is suppressed from exiting to the outside of the module housing 200. For example, refer to Figure 5The configuration shown allows gas to be discharged to the front opening O1 or the rear opening O2 without significant interference from the trapping unit 221 if gas and sparks are discharged in the directions A2 and A2'. Therefore, even when gas is generated from the single-unit assembly 100, the internal pressure of the module housing 200 is prevented from increasing to a certain level or above, thereby suppressing the explosion of the battery module. Meanwhile, sparks may contain particles or substances in solid, liquid, gel, or sol states, and the movement of sparks in such states can be as... Figure 4 The trapping unit 221 is obstructed as shown. Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, the effect of preventing the battery module from exploding and external leakage of sparks, etc., can be achieved.

[0071] Specifically, according to this embodiment, in the module housing 200, a spark trapping unit 221 for blocking sparks can be provided on the side plate 220, and the openings O1 and O2 through which gas is discharged can be located on the front and / or rear side of the module housing 200. Here, the spark trapping unit 221 can be positioned facing the side surface of the sealed portion of the secondary battery 110 where the electrode leads 111 are not positioned. Additionally, the openings O1 and O2 can be positioned facing the side surface of the sealed portion of the secondary battery 110 where the electrode leads 111 are positioned. In the pouch-type secondary battery 110, if the internal pressure increases due to thermal runaway, gas is highly likely to be discharged primarily through the portion where the electrode leads 111 are not positioned by an explosion. That is, in Figure 4 In the structure, when the secondary battery 110 explodes, the explosion site is most likely to be the sealing part at both ends (left and right ends) in the ±X axis direction, and the explosion is unlikely to occur in the sealing part at both ends (front and rear ends) in the ±Y axis direction.

[0072] More specifically, when viewed from above, the pouch-type secondary battery 110 can be formed into an approximately rectangular shape in a flat position. In this case, the pouch-type secondary battery 110 can be configured such that its four sealing portions surround the periphery of the receiving portion. Here, the left and right sealing portions (wings) where the electrode leads 111 are not located are typically formed to be longer than the front and rear sealing portions (platform portions) where the electrode leads 111 are located.

[0073] Therefore, the gases and sparks generated by the explosion are very likely to be in contact with... Figure 5 A2 and A2' are ejected in the same direction, that is, at the left and right sealing portions (wings). However, according to this embodiment, the capturing unit 221 may be present in the portion where the gas and spark are ejected. In particular, the spark may inevitably pass through the capturing unit 221 before reaching the openings O1 and O2. Therefore, as Figure 4As shown, the movement of sparks can be suppressed by the capture unit 221. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the spark emission blocking effect of the capture unit 221 can be further improved.

[0074] At the same time, in such Figure 5 In the aforementioned embodiments, the left and right sealing portions of each pouch-type secondary battery 110 of the single-cell assembly 100 are shown folded upwards. This configuration reduces the volume of the single-cell assembly 100. However, this is merely an example, and this disclosure is not necessarily limited to this form.

[0075] Furthermore, the battery module according to this disclosure may further include, for example: Figure 1 and Figure 2 The busbar assembly 300 shown is illustrated.

[0076] The busbar assembly 300 can be located in the openings O1 and O2 of the module housing 200. In particular, the electrode leads 111 of the individual component 100 can be positioned in the openings O1 and O2 of the module housing 200. Therefore, the busbar assembly 300 can be configured to be connected to the electrode leads 111 of the individual component 100.

[0077] For example, refer to Figure 2 The individual module 100 can be configured such that electrode leads 111 are positioned at both ends in the Y-axis direction, and the module housing 200 is correspondingly open at both ends in the Y-axis direction. Additionally, the busbar assembly 300 can be connected to the open portions O1 and O2. If the electrode leads 111 of the individual module 100 are positioned to protrude only on one side of the battery module, for example, in the +Y-axis direction, then the module housing 200 can be configured to be open only in the +Y-axis direction. The module housing 200 can be configured to be closed except for the open portion to which the busbar assembly 300 is connected. Therefore, when gas is generated inside the module housing 200, the generated gas can be discharged only to the side where the busbar assembly 300 is located.

[0078] As described above, the busbar assembly 300 can be configured to be positioned on at least one side of the module housing 200, for example, at the front and rear ends of the module housing 200. Figure 2 (At both ends in the Y-axis direction). In addition, the busbar assembly 300 may include a module busbar 310 and a busbar housing 320.

[0079] Here, the module busbar 310 can be made of a conductive material (e.g., a metallic material such as copper or nickel). Additionally, the module busbar 310 can be configured to be electrically connected to the electrode leads 111 of the individual component 100. Specifically, the module busbar 310 can be soldered or bolted to directly contact the electrode leads 111. Furthermore, the module busbar 310 can electrically connect the electrode leads 111 to each other, or transmit voltage information sensed from the electrode leads 111 to an external control unit, such as a BMS (Battery Management System).

[0080] Furthermore, the busbar housing 320 can be configured such that the module busbar 310 can be placed on it. For example, the busbar housing 320 can have a portion (e.g., a planar shape) with a shape corresponding to the surface of the module busbar 310 as a placement portion, on which the module busbar 310 is placed. Additionally, the busbar housing 320 can support the module busbar 310, allowing it to be stably positioned. For example, the busbar housing 320 can allow for the connection and fixation of the module busbar 310 using various fastening methods such as bolting, riveting, fusion, insertion, and bonding. The busbar housing 320 can be made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic (polymer), so that the busbar housing 320 is not electrically connected to the module busbar 310. Furthermore, the busbar housing 320 can be coupled and fixed to the module housing 200, particularly to the front panel 240 or the rear panel 250. At this point, the busbar housing 320 and the module housing 200 can be connected by various means such as bolting, riveting, fusion, insertion and bonding.

[0081] The busbar housing 320 may have a slot 321 through which the electrode leads 111 pass. Typically, for a stable connection, the module busbar 310 may be placed on the outer surface of the busbar housing 320, and the electrode leads 111 may pass through the slot 321 on the inner side of the busbar housing 320 and then contact the outer surface of the module busbar 310 located on the outer side.

[0082] The slot 321 can be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the electrode lead 111, allowing the electrode lead 111 to easily pass through it. For example, as shown in the attached figure, the slot 321 can be formed to extend in the left-right direction (X-axis direction in the attached figure). Furthermore, multiple slots 321 can be formed in the busbar housing 320. Moreover, if the pouch-type secondary batteries 110 are stacked in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the attached figure), multiple electrode leads 111 can exist in the vertical direction. Therefore, as... Figure 2 As shown, the plurality of slots 321 can also be arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction.

[0083] The slot 321 can be used to allow the electrode lead 111 to pass through and support the electrode lead 111, and can also be used to discharge exhaust gas. The slot 321 can have a gap around the electrode lead 111 while the electrode lead 111 passes through it. In addition, other parts of the module housing 200 can be constructed in a nearly sealed form. In this case, if exhaust gas is generated in at least one of the secondary batteries 110 included in the single-cell assembly 100 due to heat propagation or the like, the gas may increase the pressure inside the battery module. However, since the slot 321 has a gap formed around the electrode lead 111, the gas inside the battery module can be discharged to the outside through the slot 321. However, as described above, the trapping unit 221 can prevent sparks, flames, etc., other than gas from being discharged to the outside.

[0084] As described in the above embodiments, in the battery module according to this disclosure, the module housing 200 can be configured such that when gas is generated from the cell assembly 100, the generated gas is discharged to at least one of the front and rear sides. Specifically, in the module housing 200, the portion where the gas is discharged to the outside can be the slot 321 of the busbar assembly. Additionally, in this configuration, a trapping unit 221 can be formed at the side plate 220 of the module housing 200. That is, the trapping unit 221 can be formed at the left plate 220L and the right plate 220R of the module housing 200.

[0085] According to this configuration, gases, sparks, etc., discharged from the unit 100 can pass through the trapping unit 221 before leaking out of the module housing 200. Thus, gases in a gaseous state are smoothly discharged to the outside of the module housing 200, but sparks in a non-gase state can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the module housing 200 by the trapping unit 221.

[0086] In the battery module according to this disclosure, the trapping unit 221 may be formed in at least the center of the side plate 220 in a front-rear orientation. This will refer to Figure 6 To describe in more detail.

[0087] Figure 6 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] exist Figure 6 In the construction, the front-rear direction of the side plate 220 can be referred to as the ±Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the center line in the front-rear direction relative to the side plate 220 can be line A3-A3'. In this case, the capturing unit 221 can be constructed to be formed at least on line A3-A3'.

[0089] Furthermore, the trapping unit 221 can be configured to extend along line A3-A3' in the front-to-back direction. That is, in Figure 6 In its construction, the trapping unit 221 can be configured to extend in the +Y-axis direction and the -Y-axis direction relative to the centerline (line A3-A3') in the front-rear direction. In this case, the trapping unit 221 can be positioned to face the sealing portion on the side of each of the plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries 110, that is, the center of the wing portion.

[0090] When an explosion occurs due to increased internal pressure in the pouch-type secondary battery 110, the explosion point may be the center of the relatively long wing in the sealing portion. Therefore, according to this embodiment, when sparks, flames, etc. are emitted from the individual component 100, the emitted sparks, flames, etc. can be directly introduced into the collection unit 221.

[0091] Furthermore, the capture unit 221 can extend from the center of the side plate 220 in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) to the part where the platform part S2 is located.

[0092] For example, refer to Figure 6 The pouch-type secondary battery 110 disposed in the single-unit assembly 100 can be divided into a receiving portion R and a sealing portion S. The receiving portion R houses the electrode assembly, and the sealing portion S fuses the upper pouch and the lower pouch. In particular, the sealing portion S may include a wing portion S1 and a platform portion S2, and is configured to surround the receiving portion R.

[0093] At this time, the collection unit 221 can extend from the center portion (line A3-A3') of the side plate 220 in the front-rear direction to the portion where the platform portion S2 of the pouch-type secondary battery 110 is located, or further. That is, as Figure 6 As indicated by lines A4-A4' and A5-A5', the trapping unit 221 can be configured to extend at least to the end of the receiving portion R of the pouch-type secondary battery 110.

[0094] According to this configuration, the trapping unit 221 can be positioned to face the entire wing S1 of the pouch-type secondary battery 110. That is, the trapping unit 221 of the side plate 220 can cover the entire wing S1 of the pouch-type secondary battery 110 disposed in the unit assembly 100. Therefore, even if sparks, flames, or the like are emitted from the wing S1 of any pouch-type secondary battery 110, the anti-movement effect of the trapping unit 221 can be reliably ensured.

[0095] The trapping unit 221 can be configured such that at least a portion of the concave portion deepens in the forward or rearward direction. This will be referenced. Figure 7 and Figure 8 To describe in more detail.

[0096] Figure 7 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, Figure 8 It is shown Figure 7 A magnified view of part E1. Regarding this embodiment, features that differ from those in the foregoing embodiments will be described in detail, and features that are substantially the same as or similar to those in the foregoing embodiments will not be described in detail again.

[0097] First, refer to Figure 7 The trapping unit 221 can be configured such that: located on the front side ( Figure 7 In the portion located on the right side, based on the centerline (line A3-A3') of the side plate 220 in the front-rear direction, the depth of the concave portion increases in the front direction (+Y axis direction). Furthermore, the trapping unit 221 can be configured such that: in the portion located on the rear side (… Figure 7 In the portion on the left side of the side plate 220, based on the center line (line A3-A3') in the front-rear direction, the depth of the concave portion increases in the rearward direction (-Y axis direction).

[0098] Specifically, in this configuration, an inclined surface can be formed on the inner surface of the trapping unit 221. For example, in the portions indicated by D2 and D2' in the figures, in the front portion of the trapping unit 221, the inclined surface can be formed such that its depth increases in the forward direction (+Y-axis direction). Additionally, in the portions indicated by D1 and D1' in the figures, in the rear portion of the trapping unit 221l, the inclined surface can be formed such that its depth increases in the rearward direction (-Y-axis direction).

[0099] According to this configuration, the effect of suppressing sparks, flames, etc. by the trapping unit 221 can be further improved. In particular, sparks, etc., ejected from the wing of the secondary battery 110 can move along the inclined surfaces D1, D1', D2, D2' of the trapping unit 221 in the front-rear direction (±Y-axis direction). Then, if they reach the front and rear ends of the trapping unit 221, the sparks, etc., can stop moving in the portions indicated by E1, E1', E2, and E2' and change their direction of movement. In this case, the direction of movement can be bent at an angle greater than 90°.

[0100] In this regard, more specifically, refer to Figure 8 The angles of the edges near the front and rear ends E1, E1', E2, and E2' of the capturing unit 221 can be considered acute angles. However, given the direction of movement of the spark, etc., this angle can be considered to be greater than 90°. That is, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8In (a), inside the capturing unit 221, sparks, etc., can first move along arrow F1, collide with the end of the capturing unit 221 to change their direction, and then move along arrow F2. Additionally, if arrows F1 and F2 have the same center point, then that center point is as follows: Figure 8 As shown in Figure (b). In this case, the angle (θ) formed by arrows F1 and F2 can be an obtuse angle greater than 90°.

[0101] Therefore, according to this embodiment, since the direction of movement of sparks, etc., is converted to an obtuse angle greater than 90°, the capturing unit 221 can more reliably suppress the movement of sparks, etc., in the outward direction.

[0102] At the same time, Figure 7 The diagram shows the outer surface of side plate 220 being inclined, corresponding to the inclined shape of the inner surface; however, this disclosure is not necessarily limited to this form. That is, the inner surface of side plate 220 can be formed as inclined, while its outer surface can be flat. However, if the outer surface is formed as... Figure 7 If the side panel 220 is tilted as shown, then when viewed from the outside, the central portion can be considered concave in the inward direction. In this case, when multiple battery modules are stacked horizontally, the concave portion on the outer side of the side panel 220 serves as a space between the battery modules, which can be used as a flow path for cooling air and the like.

[0103] The trapping unit 221 can be configured to have irregular portions formed on its inner surface. This will refer to... Figure 9 To describe in more detail.

[0104] Figure 9 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. For Figure 9 The features that differ from the foregoing embodiments will also be described in detail.

[0105] refer to Figure 9 The trapping unit 221 can be configured to have an irregular portion by forming a plurality of outwardly concave grooves on the inner surface as indicated by G. In particular, the trapping unit 221 can be configured such that: based on the center line (line A3-A3') of the side plate 220 in the front-rear direction, a plurality of grooves are formed on the front side and a plurality of grooves are also formed on the rear side.

[0106] According to the structure disclosed herein, the movement of sparks, etc., can be interfered with by irregular portions (i.e., multiple grooves G) formed on the inner surface of the trapping unit 221. Therefore, the discharge of sparks, etc., to the outside through the openings O1 and O2 of the module housing 200 can be further suppressed.

[0107] Specifically, each groove G can be formed such that, based on the centerline (line A3-A3') in the front-rear direction, the depth of the concave portion increases in the front-rear direction. That is, as... Figure 9 As indicated by D3, the plurality of grooves G formed at the trapping unit 221 each have an inclined surface, and these inclined surfaces D3 can be configured such that their depth increases in the forward and backward directions of the gas flow.

[0108] According to the structure disclosed herein, at each groove, the direction of movement of sparks, etc., can be converted into an angle larger than a right angle (obtuse angle). Therefore, the effect of suppressing the movement of sparks, etc. by the capturing unit 221 can be further improved.

[0109] At the same time, Figure 9 In the embodiment shown, multiple irregular portions are formed with the inner surface of the trapping unit 221 parallel to the front-back direction (Y-axis direction), but this disclosure is not limited to this embodiment. For example, Figure 9 The multiple grooves G shown can be formed in, for example... Figure 7 At each of the inclined surfaces D1, D1', D2, D2' shown. In this case, the spark blocking effect of the inclined surface of the capturing unit 221 itself and the spark blocking effect of the irregular part are added together, so the effect can be further enhanced.

[0110] Additionally, the module housing 200 may further include a protrusion formed on at least one end of the trapping unit 221 to project in a central direction. This will refer to Figure 10 To describe in more detail.

[0111] Figure 10 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. For Figure 10 The features that differ from the foregoing embodiments will also be described in detail.

[0112] refer to Figure 10 The module housing 200 may further include protrusions 222 at the front and / or rear ends of the trapping unit 221. The protrusions 222 may be configured to project inwardly onto the side plate 220 of the module housing 200 in the trapping unit 221. For example, refer to... Figure 10 ,exist Figure 10 In this design, the rear end of the trapping unit 221 is enlarged, and the protrusion 222 can be configured to protrude in the forward direction (+Y axis direction) so as to partially cover the rear end of the trapping unit 221.

[0113] According to the configuration disclosed herein, by blocking the movement of sparks or the like at the end of the collecting unit 221 or further changing the direction of movement of sparks or the like, the external discharge of sparks or the like can be blocked more effectively. That is, as... Figure 10As indicated by the arrow in the enlarged view, sparks and the like introduced into the trapping unit 221 can change their direction at the end of the trapping unit 221. Therefore, in this case, sparks and the like can remain in the trapping unit 221 for a longer time, thereby further improving the effect of the trapping unit 221 in trapping sparks and the like.

[0114] Additionally, at least one end of the trapping unit 221 may be concave in the front-to-back direction. This will refer to... Figure 11 and Figure 12 To describe in more detail.

[0115] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Features that differ from the foregoing embodiments will also be described in detail for these embodiments.

[0116] refer to Figure 11 and Figure 12 The trapping unit 221 is formed on the side plate 220 of the module housing 200, and the end of the trapping unit 221 in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) can be formed to be more concave in the front-rear direction.

[0117] For example, in Figure 11 As indicated by H1', ​​the front end of the trapping unit 221 can be formed to be more concave in the forward direction (+Y axis direction) to provide a forward groove. Additionally, in Figure 11 As indicated by H1, the rear end of the trapping unit 221 can be formed to be more concave in the rearward direction (-Y-axis direction) to provide a rearward groove. Specifically, in Figure 11 In the construction, inclined surfaces can be formed at the front and rear ends of the trapping unit 221 to provide grooves (concave portions) at the front and rear ends of the trapping unit 221.

[0118] As another example, in Figure 12 As indicated by H2', the front end of the trapping unit 221 can be formed to be more concave in the forward direction (+Y axis direction) to provide a forward groove. Additionally, in Figure 12 As indicated in H2, the rear end of the trapping unit 221 can be further recessed in the rearward direction (-Y-axis direction) to provide a rearward groove. Specifically, in Figure 12 In order to provide grooves (concave portions) at the front and rear ends of the trapping unit 221, the trapping unit 221 can be formed to be more concave in the front-rear direction.

[0119] According to the structure disclosed herein, the effect of the collecting unit 221 in suppressing sparks, flames, etc., can be more reliably ensured. Specifically, when sparks, flames, etc., flow into the internal space of the collecting unit 221, the concave portions located at the front and rear ends prevent the sparks or flames from easily moving in the front-rear direction and thus prevent leakage from the internal space of the collecting unit 221. Furthermore, spark particles, etc., can be inserted into the grooves provided at the front and rear ends of the collecting unit. Therefore, in this case, the effect of the collecting unit 221 in blocking the emission of sparks and flames can be further improved.

[0120] Figure 13 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Features that differ from the foregoing embodiments will also be described in detail for this embodiment.

[0121] refer to Figure 13 The battery module according to this disclosure may further include a mesh member 400. The mesh member 400 may be configured to have a plurality of holes formed therein. For example, the mesh member 400 may be configured to have a plurality of holes in a plate-like member. Alternatively, the mesh member 400 may be configured as a mesh in which different lines intersect each other orthogonally. In this case, the mesh member 400 can be easily manufactured, and a large number of holes can be formed while reducing the size of the holes. The mesh member 400 may be configured to be inserted into the internal space of the trapping unit 221. Furthermore, the mesh member 400 may be configured such that the holes are arranged in a front-rear direction. Additionally, the mesh member 400 may be provided at the front and rear ends of the trapping unit 221.

[0122] According to the embodiment of this disclosure, the movement of sparks, flames, etc., can be further blocked by the mesh member 400. That is, if a spark or flame reaches the mesh member 400 while moving in the front-to-back direction within the internal space of the collection unit 221 along with the gas, the gas in its gaseous state can easily pass through the mesh, but particles included in the spark or flame can be filtered by the mesh member 400. Therefore, in this case, the effect of blocking the emission of sparks, flames, etc., can be further improved.

[0123] Figure 14 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Features that differ from the foregoing embodiments will also be described in detail for this embodiment.

[0124] refer to Figure 14The battery module according to this disclosure may further include a porous member 500. The porous member 500 may be configured to have a plurality of pores therein. Specifically, these pores may be configured to communicate with the outside. That is, the pores included in the porous member 500 can be considered as empty spaces filled only with gas, and these pores may not be sealed but rather configured to communicate with the outside. For example, the porous member 500 may be configured such that a plurality of wires (particularly made of materials such as metal or polymer) are entangled with each other. Specifically, the porous member 500 may be configured to be inserted into the internal space of the trapping unit 221.

[0125] According to the structure disclosed herein, the pores formed in the porous member 500 can more effectively prevent the sparks or flames introduced into the collection unit 221 from moving outward. In particular, since active material particles included in the sparks, flames, etc. are collected in the pores of the porous member 500, the discharge of active material particles, etc., to the outside of the module housing 200 can be more reliably prevented.

[0126] Figure 15 This is a schematic top view of a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, Figure 16 It is shown Figure 15 A magnified view of part A6. For this embodiment, features that differ from the foregoing embodiments will also be described in detail.

[0127] First, refer to Figure 15 Multiple blocking protrusions P can be formed on the inner surface of the trapping unit 221. The blocking protrusions P are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the side plate 220 in the direction toward the unit assembly 100 (X-axis direction). Furthermore, the blocking protrusions P have empty spaces within them, but these empty spaces can be configured to be open in the front-rear direction, particularly in the direction toward the centerline (line A3-A3') of the front-rear direction of the side plate 220. Additionally, the internal space of the blocking protrusions P can be configured to be closed toward the front and rear ends of the side plate 220.

[0128] More specifically, see Figure 16 In the attached diagram, the right portion of the blocking protrusion P can be described as facing the centerline (line A3-A3') in the front-rear direction (+Y axis direction). Additionally, the left portion of the blocking protrusion P can be described as facing the rear end direction (-Y axis direction). In this case, the right portion of the blocking protrusion P can be open, and the left portion of the blocking protrusion P can be closed.

[0129] According to the configuration of this disclosure, by forming multiple blocking protrusions P on the inner surface of the trapping unit 221, the discharge of sparks, flames, etc., to the outside can be blocked more reliably. For example, refer to... Figure 16As indicated by the arrow, as sparks, flames, etc., moving forward or backward along the inner surface of the collecting unit 221 flow into the internal space of the blocking protrusion P, their movement can be blocked and their direction of movement can be changed. Therefore, in this case, the effect of blocking the movement of sparks, flames, etc. can be further improved.

[0130] The battery pack according to this disclosure may include multiple battery modules as described above. Furthermore, the battery pack according to this disclosure may further include various other components besides battery modules, such as components of battery packs known at the time of filing of this application, such as BMS, busbars, battery pack housing, relays, current sensors, etc.

[0131] The energy storage system according to this disclosure may include at least one battery module according to this disclosure. In particular, the energy storage system may include multiple battery modules according to this disclosure in the form of being electrically connected to each other to have a large energy capacity. Alternatively, multiple battery modules according to this disclosure may constitute a battery pack, and the energy storage system may be configured to include multiple battery packs. Furthermore, the energy storage system according to this disclosure may further include various other components of energy storage systems known at the time of filing of this application. Moreover, the energy storage system can be used in various locations or devices, such as smart grid systems or charging stations.

[0132] In addition, this specification uses directional terms such as “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “front,” and “back,” but these terms are only for convenience of explanation, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these terms may change depending on the position of the object or the observer’s position.

[0133] This disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of this disclosure, they are given by way of illustration only, as various modifications and variations within the scope of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0134] Figure Labels

[0135] 100: Single component

[0136] 110: Secondary battery

[0137] 111: Electrode lead

[0138] 200: Module housing

[0139] 210: Lower board

[0140] 220: Side panel

[0141] 220L: Left side panel, 220R: Right side panel

[0142] 221: Capture Unit

[0143] 222: Protrusion

[0144] 230: On the board

[0145] 240: Front panel

[0146] 250: Back panel

[0147] 300: Busbar Component

[0148] 310: Module busbar; 320: Busbar housing

[0149] 321: Slot

[0150] 400: Mesh component

[0151] 500: Porous components

[0152] P: Blocking protrusion

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: A single-unit assembly, the single-unit assembly comprising a plurality of secondary batteries stacked on top of each other; and A module housing includes a lower plate, side plates, and an upper plate to form an internal space, in which the individual component is housed. The module housing includes a trapping unit formed in at least a portion of the inner surface of the side plates to be outwardly concave. The individual component is configured such that multiple secondary batteries are stacked vertically, and the trapping unit is positioned facing each of the multiple secondary batteries. When sparks and gas are ejected from any secondary battery, the sparks and gas flow into the concave portion of the trapping unit and move along the concave portion, so that the sparks are trapped by the trapping unit and the gas is discharged to the outside of the module housing.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The single-unit assembly is configured such that multiple pouch-type secondary batteries are stacked vertically in a flat position.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, in, In the single-unit assembly, the electrode leads of the pouch-type secondary battery are located in the front-rear direction of the module housing, and The module housing is configured such that at least one of the front and rear sides of the module housing is open.

4. The battery module according to claim 3, further comprising: A busbar assembly located at an opening in the module housing and configured to connect to the electrode leads.

5. The battery module according to claim 1, in, When gas is generated from the single component, the module housing is configured to discharge the generated gas to at least one of the front and rear sides.

6. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The trapping unit is formed in at least the center of the side plate in a front-to-back direction.

7. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The trapping unit is at least partially shaped such that the depth of the concave portion of the trapping unit gradually increases in the forward or backward direction.

8. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The module housing further includes a protrusion formed on at least one end of the trapping unit to project in a central direction.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The trapping unit is configured such that at least one end of the trapping unit is concave in the front-back direction.

10. A battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. An energy storage system comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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