Battery module and battery pack including cooling part

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a frame accommodating the battery cell stack; and a cooling part provided on the battery cell stack, in which the cooling part includes: a coolant accommodating member including an upper plate and a lower plate; an elastic member disposed in an inner space of the coolant accommodating member; and a sealing member that seals at least one through hole formed in the lower plate of the coolant accommodating member and is capable of being melted by an increase in temperature of the battery cell, and wherein the coolant is accommodated in a space between the elastic member and the lower plate of the coolant accommodating member, and the elastic member expands with the accommodation of the coolant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0088259 filed on July 18, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0092581 filed on July 17, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a battery module and a battery pack including a cooling part, and more particularly, to a battery module and a battery pack preventing a thermal runaway phenomenon. Background Art

[0004] Secondary batteries are attracting attention as a power source for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and the like, which are proposed as a solution to air pollution and the like caused by conventional vehicles using fossil fuels, diesel vehicles, and the like.

[0005] In small mobile devices, each device uses one, two or three battery cells, while medium or large devices such as vehicles require high power and large capacity. Therefore, due to the necessity of high output and large capacity, medium or large battery packs in which a large number of battery cells are electrically connected are used.

[0006] Since a medium or large battery module is preferably manufactured in the smallest possible size and weight, square batteries, soft pack batteries, etc., which can be stacked with high integration and have light weight compared to capacity, are mainly used as battery cells of the medium or large battery module.

[0007] Since the battery cells constituting such a middle- or large-sized battery module are chargeable and dischargeable secondary batteries, such a high-output and large-capacity secondary battery generates a large amount of heat during the charge and discharge process.

[0008] When the heat generated during charging and discharging is not effectively removed, heat accumulation may occur, which may accelerate the degradation of the battery cells, and depending on the situation, the battery module may catch fire or explode. Therefore, a medium or large battery pack for a vehicle and a medium or large battery pack for a power storage system including a high-output large-capacity battery of a plurality of medium or large battery modules require a cooling system to cool the battery cells installed in the battery pack.

[0009] Fig.14 and Fig.15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or battery pack 10 according to the prior art. Fig.14As the coolant (cooling water) stored in the coolant containing member (water tank) 220 is supplied to the ignited battery cell 103 through the through hole 230, the pressure (water pressure) of the coolant in the coolant containing member 220 gradually decreases. Therefore, as time goes by, the rate at which the coolant is injected into the battery cell 103 slows down.

[0010] In addition, the pressure of the coolant in the coolant containing member 220 is generally proportional to the height of the coolant, but the coolant containing member (water tank) 220 is generally formed along the containing direction of the battery cell stack so that the height is lower than the width of the coolant containing member 220. Therefore, the pressure of the coolant injected into the battery cell 103 has no choice but to be further reduced. This becomes a factor that inhibits the rapid injection of the coolant.

[0011] In addition, when a vehicle equipped with a battery pack is located on an inclined surface (etc.), and the coolant containing member 220 of the battery pack is also located in an inclined position, a situation may occur in which all the coolant in the coolant containing member 220 is not supplied to the battery cell stack, such as Fig.15 shown.

[0012] In addition, if Fig.14 and Fig.15 As shown, the coolant is supplied from the upper coolant containing member 220 to the battery cell stack below by gravity along the opened through hole 230. Therefore, the coolant containing member 220 has no choice but to be located at the upper part of the battery cell stack, and there is a limitation that the coolant containing member 220 cannot be disposed at the lower part. Fig.14 and Fig.15 The case where no coolant receiving space is provided at the lower portion and only the heat dissipation plate 211 is provided is shown. Summary of the invention

[0013] Technical issues

[0014] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to solve the problems as described above, and an object of the present disclosure is to enable the coolant used in the cooling part provided inside the battery module and / or battery pack to be quickly and directly injected into the battery cell that has caught fire to prevent heat energy from being transferred to adjacent battery cells when the battery cell catches fire or explodes.

[0015] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery module and / or battery pack including a cooling portion having a structure capable of effectively suppressing a thermal runaway phenomenon of a battery cell while overcoming the difficulty of injecting a coolant on a slope and minimizing an increase in the volume of the battery module and / or battery pack.

[0016] However, the technical problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the problems described above, and various extensions can be made within the scope of the technical concept included in the present disclosure.

[0017] Technical Solution

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery pack is provided, comprising: a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a frame that accommodates the battery cell stack; and a cooling unit that is disposed on the battery cell stack, wherein the cooling unit comprises: a coolant containing member that includes an upper plate and a lower plate; an elastic member that is disposed in an internal space of the coolant containing member; and a sealing member that seals at least one through hole formed in the lower plate of the coolant containing member and can be melted by a temperature increase of the battery cells, and wherein a coolant is contained in a space between the elastic member and the lower plate of the coolant containing member, and the elastic member expands as the coolant is contained.

[0019] The elastic member may have a film shape and cover the lower plate of the coolant containing member including the at least one through hole.

[0020] When the sealing member is melted by an increase in the temperature of the battery cells, the elastic member may press the coolant and supply the coolant to the battery cell stack.

[0021] When the coolant is supplied to the battery cell stack, the elastic member may gradually contract as the pressure of the coolant pressing the elastic member gradually decreases.

[0022] The edge of the elastic member having the shape of a film is fixed to the edge of the lower plate of the coolant containing member or in the vicinity thereof.

[0023] The edge of the elastic member is inserted between the edge of the upper plate and the edge of the lower plate of the coolant containing member and then seamed, or the edge of the upper plate and the edge of the lower plate of the coolant containing member are embossed, and the edge of the elastic member can be inserted between the edge of the upper plate and the edge of the lower plate and then mechanically fastened.

[0024] Before the sealing member is melted, the elastic member may expand to a maximum extent within the coolant containing member.

[0025] The lower plate of the coolant containing member may be a heat dissipation plate.

[0026] The coolant containing member has a structure integrally formed with the frame, and an upper plate of the coolant containing member may constitute a part of the frame.

[0027] The coolant containing member may have a structure for storing the coolant.

[0028] The coolant containing member is a water tank, and the coolant may be cooling water.

[0029] The coolant containing member includes an inlet and outlet through which the coolant can flow in and out, and the inlet and outlet may be located in a space between a lower plate of the coolant containing member and the elastic member.

[0030] The battery pack includes at least one partition wall arranged in the internal space of the coolant containing member to divide the internal space into multiple areas, at least one partition wall is arranged perpendicular to a surface of the coolant containing member and is arranged in the length direction of the battery cell, and the elastic member can be arranged separately across each of the multiple areas.

[0031] The sealing member may be made of a thermoplastic polymer resin.

[0032] The melting point of the elastic member may be higher than that of the sealing member.

[0033] The elastic member may be made of a material having waterproof properties while being able to contract and expand.

[0034] The elastic member may have a double-layer structure in which a band-shaped member capable of contraction and expansion is surrounded by a waterproof fabric.

[0035] The cooling part may be provided on at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the battery cell stack.

[0036] The frame includes: an upper plate disposed on the upper side of the battery cell stack; a lower plate disposed on the lower side of the battery cell stack; and a side plate disposed on the side of the battery cell stack between the upper plate and the lower plate, wherein the lower plate of the coolant containing member can be spaced apart from the frame by a predetermined distance to form the coolant containing member.

[0037] In a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery cell stack is provided in plurality, and the cooling part may be provided on the plurality of battery cell stacks.

[0038] Beneficial Effects

[0039] As described above, the battery module and / or battery pack according to the present disclosure accommodates a coolant in the inner space of the cooling part and includes an elastic member capable of contraction and expansion, so that when a battery cell catches fire, the ignited battery cell can be quickly cooled.

[0040] In addition, even if the coolant receiving space is disposed obliquely, all the coolant in the coolant receiving space may be supplied to the battery cell that has caught fire.

[0041] Furthermore, a thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery cells can be effectively suppressed while minimizing an increase in the volume of the battery module and / or the battery pack.

[0042] Furthermore, when the sealing member added to the cooling part is melted by the high temperature of the battery cell, the coolant is directly injected from the cooling part into the battery cell, so that the temperature of the battery cell can be quickly lowered. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery module or a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 3 The battery cell is shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 cooling condition of the elastic member in the cooling portion;

[0046] Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 5 Is applicable to Figures 2 to 4 A plan view of an embodiment of a heat sink of a cooling unit;

[0048] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of

[0049] Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or battery pack having a sealing member added to a heat sink having a groove formed thereon;

[0050] Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a state where a sealing member is added to a heat sink having a groove formed therein;

[0051] Fig. 9 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an upper plate, a heat dissipation plate, a coolant containing member and an elastic member of a battery module or a battery pack;

[0052] Fig.10 It shows fixed Fig. 9 A conceptual diagram of an example of a method of providing an edge of an elastic member;

[0053] Fig.11 It shows fixed Fig. 9 A conceptual diagram of another example of a method for providing an edge of an elastic member;

[0054] Fig.12 Schematically illustrates a situation in which a plurality of battery cell stacks (battery cell module assemblies) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are accommodated in a battery pack;

[0055] Fig.13 yes Fig.12 A vertical cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing that a cooling unit is included in Fig.12 The situation of multiple battery cells stacked;

[0056] Fig.14 and Fig.15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or a battery pack according to the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the embodiments. The present disclosure can be modified in various different ways and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0058] In addition, in the drawings, the size and thickness of each element are arbitrarily shown for the convenience of description, and the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the contents shown in the drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers, regions, etc. are exaggerated for the sake of clarity. In the drawings, the thickness of components and regions is exaggerated for the convenience of description.

[0059] In addition, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region or plate is referred to as being "on" or "above" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be intervening elements. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly" "on" another element, it means that there are no other intervening elements. In addition, a portion located "on" or "above" a reference portion refers to a portion located above or below the reference portion, and does not specifically refer to a portion "on" or "above" facing the opposite direction of gravity.

[0060] In addition, throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as “including” or “comprising” a certain component, it means that the part may further include other components, without excluding the other components, unless otherwise specified.

[0061] In addition, throughout the specification, when referred to as a “plane”, it means when the target portion is viewed from the upper side, and when referred to as a “section”, it means when the target portion is viewed from the section side cut in the vertical direction.

[0062] In addition, since the upper surface / lower surface or upper part / lower part of a specific component can be determined differently depending on the direction used as a reference, the "upper surface" and "lower surface" used in this article refer to two surfaces of the component facing each other on the z-axis, and the "upper part" and "lower part" are defined as being located in opposite directions on the z-axis of the corresponding component.

[0063] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery module or a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] The battery modules or battery packs within the meaning of the present disclosure differ only in scale, and they are the same in that a cooling portion described in detail below is provided on at least one surface of the upper and lower portions of the battery cell stack.

[0065] Reference Figure 1 , a battery module or a battery pack 100 according to the present disclosure includes a frame accommodating a battery cell stack 101 in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and cooling parts provided at upper and lower surfaces of the battery cell stack 101 .

[0066] As multiple battery cells, Figure 1 , a bidirectional soft-pack battery cell in which the electrode leads 102 protrude in opposite directions to each other is shown, but unlike this, a unidirectional soft-pack battery cell in which the cathode lead and the anode lead protrude in the same direction to each other may also be used. In addition, the battery cell may be a soft-pack battery cell, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and various modifications and changes may be made, such as being applicable to a prismatic battery cell or a cylindrical battery cell.

[0067] The battery module or battery pack frame (hereinafter referred to as “frame”) includes an upper plate 110 disposed on the upper portion of the battery cell stack 101 , a lower plate 120 disposed on the lower portion of the battery cell stack, and a side plate 130 disposed between the upper plate 110 and the lower plate 120 and disposed on the side of the battery cell stack 101 .

[0068] In addition, an end plate (not shown) may be combined with the upper plate 110 , the lower plate 120 , and the side plate 130 at the outer side of the direction in which the electrode leads 102 of the battery cells protrude to assemble the frame.

[0069] In addition, the shape of the frame is not limited to Figure 1 The structure shown in Figure 1 Unlike shown in , the frame may be in the form of a single frame or a U-shaped frame. That is, in some cases, the upper plate 110 may not be provided separately, and the upper surface of the cooling part to be described below may replace the upper plate of the frame.

[0070] Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0071] Reference Figure 2 , the battery module or the battery pack is configured such that a battery cell stack 101 in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked is accommodated in a frame including an upper plate 110 and a lower plate 120 .

[0072] The cooling part 200a includes a coolant containing member 220 containing coolant. One surface of the coolant containing member 220 is provided on at least one surface of the battery cell stack 101. One surface of the coolant containing member 220 may be a heat dissipation plate 210. The other side facing one surface of the coolant containing member 220 may be an upper plate 110.

[0073] For reference, in Figures 1 to 11 In the above description, the upper plate 110, the lower plate 120 and the side plate 130 refer to the upper plate of the frame, the lower plate of the frame and the side plate of the frame, respectively, and for the sake of convenience, they are abbreviated as the upper plate 110, the lower plate 120 and the side plate 130. This should be understood as a different concept from the upper plate of the coolant containing member 220 and the lower plate of the coolant containing member 220 based on the coolant containing member 220.

[0074] In addition, as described above, when the coolant containing member 220 is disposed at the upper portion of the battery cell stack 101, the upper plate of the coolant containing member 220 may be the upper plate of the frame (i.e., the upper plate 110). Similarly, when the coolant containing member 220 is disposed at the lower portion of the battery cell stack 101, the lower plate of the coolant containing member 220 may be the lower plate of the frame (i.e., the lower plate 120).

[0075] In the following, for convenience, the upper plate 110 and the heat dissipation plate 210 are used as an example for explanation. The heat dissipation plate 210 is coupled to the upper plate 110 at a predetermined spacing distance, and the space formed by the spacing distance becomes the coolant containing member 220. Therefore, the upper plate 110, the heat dissipation plate 210 and the coolant containing member 220 form an integrated structure. The cooling portion 200a is integrally coupled to the upper plate 110 and is located at the upper portion of the battery cell stack 101.

[0076] However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above. For example, in order to form the coolant containing member 220, the upper plate 110 of the frame does not necessarily need to be a part of the coolant containing member 220. It is not important whether the coolant containing member 220 itself has a shape capable of storing coolant, as long as it has a shape and structure that is coupled to the battery cell stack 101 with the heat dissipation plate 210 including the through hole 230 described below inserted therebetween.

[0077] In addition, the cooling part 200a' includes a heat dissipation plate 210, and a coolant containing member 220 containing a coolant. The heat dissipation plate 210 is coupled to the lower plate 120 at a predetermined spacing distance, and a space formed by the spacing distance becomes the coolant containing member 220. Therefore, the lower plate 120, the heat dissipation plate 210, and the coolant containing member 220 form an integrated structure.

[0078] That is, the cooling portion 200a' is integrally combined with the lower plate 120 and is located at the lower portion of the battery cell stack 101. Similarly, the lower plate 120 of the frame does not necessarily form the coolant containing member 220. It is not important whether the coolant containing member 220 itself has a shape for storing coolant, and it is sufficient if it is a shape and structure combined to the battery cell stack with the heat dissipation plate 210 including a through hole 230 (described later) inserted therebetween. The heat dissipation plate 210 is formed with a through hole 230, and the through hole 230 is sealed by a sealing member 240.

[0079] The sealing member 240 is made of a material that can be melted by high-temperature gas or sparks discharged from the battery cell. That is, when the battery cell is in a normal state, the sealing member 240 keeps the through hole 230 sealed, but when the temperature rises or a fire occurs in the battery cell 103, the sealing member 240 melts and the through hole 230 is opened. The coolant in the coolant containing member is directly injected into the battery cell stack 101 through the opened through hole 230. As a result, the overheated or ignited battery cell can be quickly cooled, thereby quickly preventing thermal runaway expansion.

[0080] The sealing member 240 is formed of a material that can be melted by high-temperature gas or sparks ejected from the battery cell whose temperature has increased. Therefore, a thermoplastic polymer resin having a melting point of about 200°C or less can be applied, and for example, as the thermoplastic polymer resin, a material having a melting point of about 100°C or more and 200°C or less, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, can be used.

[0081] On the other hand, in the case of using cooling water as a coolant, considering that the coolant is directly injected into the battery cell, it is necessary to prevent the flame of the battery cell from growing or exploding due to the injection of cooling water. Therefore, it is preferred that the additive contained in the cooling water does not contain a flammable material. Alternatively, in the case of including a combustible material as an additive, the amount of the additive can be such that the secondary explosion of the battery cell can be prevented while being able to be used as an antifreeze to prevent the cooling water from freezing.

[0082] On the other hand, the coolant containing member 220 contains the coolant therein. More specifically, the cooling portion 200a according to the present disclosure includes an elastic member 250 that can shrink / expand in the internal space of the coolant containing member 220. The elastic member 250 has a film shape and is disposed to span the internal space of the coolant containing member 220. When the heat dissipation plate 210 includes at least one through hole 230, the elastic member 250 having a film shape preferably completely covers the at least one through hole 230. In addition, the elastic member 250 covers at least a portion of the heat dissipation plate 210. Therefore, the elastic member 250 can roughly divide the internal space of the coolant containing member 220 into two ( Figure 2That is, it is divided into a space between the heat dissipation plate 210 including the through hole 230 and one surface of the elastic member 250, and a space between the other surface of the elastic member 250 and the inner wall of the coolant containing member 220. The coolant is contained in the space between the elastic member 250 and the heat dissipation plate 210 including the through hole 230 in the inner space of the coolant containing member 220.

[0083] The edge of the elastic member 250 is one surface of the coolant containing member 220 and may be fixed to the edge of the surface disposed adjacent to the battery cell stack. Figure 2 In the embodiment of the present invention, the edge of the elastic member 250 may be fixed to the portion where the coolant containing member 220 and the heat dissipation plate 210 contact each other. Alternatively, the edge of the elastic member 250 may be fixed to the inner wall of the coolant containing member 220. An example of a method for fixing the edge of the elastic member 250 to the inner wall of the coolant containing member 220 or the portion in contact with the upper plate 110 and / or the heat dissipation plate 210 will be described below with reference to Figures 9 to 11 However, as will be described later, in order to allow all the coolant contained therein to be supplied to the battery cell stack 101 through the through hole 230 when the elastic member 250 contracts, it is preferred that the elastic member 250 is located at a position closer to the heat dissipation plate 210 in the inner wall of the coolant containing member 220. Alternatively, the edge of the elastic member 250 may be fixed to the heat dissipation plate 210, and the coolant may be contained in the space between the heat dissipation plate 210 and the elastic member 250. Figure 2 The embodiment shows a case where the coolant is maximally accommodated inside the elastic member 250 and the coolant expands to the maximum extent.

[0084] The coolant containing member 220 may be a water tank in which the coolant is stored, or may have a structure including an inlet and outlet (not shown) through which the coolant can flow in and out. In the case of a structure in which the coolant flows in and out of the coolant containing member 220, the elastic member 250 has a structure that covers not only the through hole 230 but also the inlet and outlet. In other words, the structure may otherwise be such that the inlet and outlet are located in a space between one surface of the coolant containing member where the through hole 230 is located and the elastic member 250, and the coolant flows through the inlet and outlet while the coolant is contained in the space between the elastic member 250 and one surface of the coolant containing member where the through hole 230 is located.

[0085] The sealing member 240 added to the through hole 230 of the heat dissipation plate 210 is melted by high-temperature gas or sparks discharged from the battery cells 103 whose temperatures have increased in the battery cell stack 101. Therefore, the coolant contained in the space between the heat dissipation plate 210 including the through hole 230 and the elastic member 250 is supplied to the battery cells 103 through the opened opening 255 and the opened through hole 230.

[0086] like Figure 2 The elastic member 250, which is shown to be expanded to the greatest extent due to the internal pressure of the coolant, is configured so that as the coolant contained inside the elastic member 250 escapes, the pressure of the coolant pressing the elastic member 250 gradually decreases, and as shown in FIG. Figure 3 The elastic member 250 is shown gradually contracting.

[0087] With regard to the prior art Fig.14 , the coolant in the elastic member 250 located in the coolant containing member 220 can be supplied to the battery cell 103 at a faster rate due to the pressure caused by the contraction of the elastic member 250. In addition, the coolant existing in the elastic member 250 can be supplied to the battery cell 103 without any residue.

[0088] The elastic member 250 is made of a material having elasticity to be able to expand and contract, and is as little damaged as possible by high-temperature gas or sparks discharged from the battery cell 103. In addition, the elastic member 250 contains a coolant therein, and therefore, the elastic member 250 is made of a material having chemical resistance to the coolant (cooling water, etc.).

[0089] The elastic member 250 may be made of a material having waterproof properties and being able to shrink and expand. For example, a polymer resin, rubber or silicone membrane having waterproof properties and being able to shrink and expand may be used. As an example, the elastic member 250 may be a rubber membrane made of rubber.

[0090] Alternatively, the elastic member 250 may have a double-layer structure in which a band-shaped member capable of contraction and expansion is surrounded by a fabric having waterproof properties. As an example, the elastic member 250 may have a double-layer structure in which an elastic material is provided on a material having waterproof properties (waterproof cloth, etc.) to apply pressure. As an example, the elastic member 250 may have a double-layer structure in which a rubber band is provided on a waterproof cloth.

[0091] The present disclosure is not limited to the above description and may be modified and changed in various ways, for example, one of the cooling part 200a located at the upper portion of the battery cell stack 101 and the cooling part 200a′ located at the lower portion of the battery cell stack 101 includes only the heat dissipation plate 210 and may not include the coolant containing member 220.

[0092] Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a Figure 2 The cooling section 200a is a partially modified version of the cooling section 200b. Figure 4 The components of the cooling unit 200b are Figure 2 For a description of the same components of the cooling unit 200a, see Figure 2 Description.

[0093] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment of the present invention, the partition wall 215 may cross the coolant containing member 220 in the vertical direction to define the internal space. For example, the partition wall 215 may have a structure that connects the heat dissipation plate 210 and the upper plate and is connected to the side plate 130 (see Figure 1 ) A plate shape in which the battery cell stack 101 is arranged in parallel. In this case, each battery cell of the battery cell stack 101 may be arranged in parallel with the length direction.

[0094] The coolant containing member 220 is divided into a plurality of regions arranged in a row with respect to the lateral direction of the partition wall 215. The elastic member 250 is provided in each of the plurality of regions defined in the coolant containing member 220, and the coolant is contained in each of the plurality of elastic members 250. When the temperature of the battery cell 103 rises or a fire occurs, the coolant may be supplied in multiple times. For other descriptions of the elastic member 250, refer to the above description of the Figure 2 and Figure 3 Description.

[0095] The number of partition walls 215 is not limited to Figure 4 The number shown in the figure may be one or more, and may be modified and changed in various ways, such as including a plurality of partition walls 250a to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented.

[0096] The shape of the partition wall 215 may be any shape as long as it can partition and define the inner space of the coolant containing member 220 , and does not necessarily have to be a flat planar shape, and various modifications and changes may be made. Figure 5 Is applicable to Figures 2 to 4 FIG. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of a heat sink 210 of a cooling portion. Figure 5 (a) shows a state in which the through hole 230 is formed in the heat dissipation plate 210 .

[0097] In the heat dissipation plate 210 , through holes 230 formed in a planar circular shape are arranged to be spaced apart at regular intervals in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0098] No matter which battery cell is on fire, a through hole must be formed at a position where cooling water can be supplied to the battery cell on fire. That is, at least one through hole is preferably provided in each battery cell so that cooling water can be supplied to all battery cells. Therefore, the number and interval of the through holes can be adjusted according to the number and size of the battery cells.

[0099] Figure 5 (b) and Figure 5 (c) is Figure 5 (a) is a plan view of an embodiment in which the heat dissipation plate 210 is partially modified.

[0100] Reference Figure 5 (b) and Figure 5 (c), the shapes of the through holes 230' and 230" formed in the heat dissipation plate 210 are different from Figure 5 The shape of the through hole 230.

[0101] When the battery cells are arranged so that Figure 5 (b) and Figure 5 When the short axis direction of the heat dissipation plate 210 shown in (c) is parallel to the length direction (L) of the battery cell, the through hole 230' is formed obliquely so that one through hole can cover more than two battery cells, and the through hole 230" is formed in a direction perpendicular to the length direction (L) of the battery cell to cover more than two battery cells.

[0102] In the case where such a through hole is formed, if the sealing member is melted by the heating and explosion of one of the battery cells, the through hole is formed larger. Therefore, cooling water can be added to the surface of the battery cell adjacent to the heated and exploded battery cell but not heated or exploded. Thus, by lowering the temperature of the battery cell that is not heated or exploded, the thermal runaway phenomenon can be prevented from occurring.

[0103] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of . Figure 6 An enlarged view of the portion marked "A" in the figure is shown. A space may be created between the battery cell stack 101 and the heat sink 210, and the distance between the battery cell and the heat sink 210 may be deviated for each individual battery cell. In this way, the space formed between the battery cell stack 101 and the heat sink 210 causes a decrease in heat dissipation performance for discharging heat inside the battery module and / or battery pack to the outside.

[0104] To prevent such problems, the space between the battery cell stack 101 and the heat sink 210 may be filled with a thermal interface material (TIM) 390 .

[0105] Since the thermal interface material 390 widens the thermal contact area between the battery cell stack 101 and the heat dissipation plate, the heat energy generated in the battery cell stack 101 can be quickly discharged.

[0106] However, if the heat energy exhausted from the battery cell does not directly reach the sealing member due to the heat transfer material 390, the sealing member may not reach the melting temperature. Therefore, the addition of the thermal interface material may be omitted.

[0107] Alternatively, the thermal interface material is not formed at the lower part of the through hole of the heat sink, and may be a shape added only to other parts. In such a case, even if the thermal interface material is added, the heat energy of the battery cell exhaust can be directly transferred to the sealing member without loss, so that the sealing member melts and enables the coolant to be supplied to the exhausted battery cell.

[0108] On the other hand, the sealing member 240 is added to the through hole 230 penetrating the heat dissipation plate 210. For example, the sealing member 240 fills the through hole 230 and includes an extension 241 extending further outward from the periphery of the through hole 230 at the inner side 211 and the outer side 212 of the heat dissipation plate 210.

[0109] Since the extension part 241 is formed in the sealing member 240 , it is possible to prevent the sealing member 240 from being removed by the pressure of the cooling water flowing through the coolant containing member, thereby preventing the through hole from being opened.

[0110] Figure 7 It is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a battery module or a battery pack in which a sealing member is added to a heat sink having grooves formed therein.

[0111] Reference Figure 7 , the coolant containing member 320 is formed between the upper plate 110 and the heat dissipation plate 310 , and the sealing member 340 is added to the through hole of the heat dissipation plate 310 .

[0112] The sealing member 340 includes an extending portion 341 , and a groove 314 is formed in a portion where the extending portion 341 is formed in the inner side surface 311 of the heat dissipation plate and the outer side surface 312 of the heat dissipation plate.

[0113] Since a portion of the sealing member constituting the extension portion 341 is inserted into the groove 314 to form the insertion portion 345 , it is possible to more effectively prevent the sealing member from being removed by the water pressure of the cooling water and opening the through hole.

[0114] In order to manufacture a sealing member including an extension in this manner, an insert molding method of manufacturing a heat sink formed with a groove by introducing a resin used as a sealing member can be used. Alternatively, for the portion through which the through hole in the sealing member passes, a central portion of the sealing member having a shape and size corresponding to the shape and size of the through hole can be prepared, and an additional member can be added to the central portion of the sealing member to form an extension. At this time, the method of combining the central portion of the sealing member and the additionally added extension is not limited, such as adhesion, threaded fastening, or press fitting using an adhesive material. In addition, the central portion of the sealing member is made of a thermoplastic polymer resin that melts at high temperatures, and the material of the additionally added extension can be made of a material that does not melt at high temperatures.

[0115] Figure 8 This is a vertical cross-sectional view of a state where a sealing member is added to a heat sink having a groove formed therein.

[0116] Reference Figure 8 , sealing members 440 , 540 , and 640 are added to the heat dissipation plates 410 , 510 , and 610 , respectively.

[0117] Each of the heat dissipation plates 410 , 510 , and 610 has grooves 414 , 514 , and 614 formed in portions where they meet the extensions, and insertion portions 445 , 545 , and 645 are formed inside the grooves 414 , 514 , and 614 .

[0118] A vertical section of a portion where the grooves 414, 514, and 614 are formed in the heat dissipation plates 410, 510, and 610 may be formed in one or more shapes selected from the group consisting of a polygon including a triangle, a trapezoid, etc., and a semicircle, and may be formed by mixing them.

[0119] Reference Figure 8 (c), the thickness of the central portion 641 of the sealing member 640 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the central portion of the sealing member 410 and the central portion of the sealing member 510. When the thickness of the portion sealing the through hole is formed to be relatively thin in this way, the time required for the sealing member to melt and open the through hole can be shortened, so that the coolant can be quickly supplied to the battery cell.

[0120] Furthermore, the heat dissipation plate may constitute the coolant receiving member coupled to the upper plate and the lower plate of the frame, and the heat dissipation plate may constitute the other surface facing one surface coupled to the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0121] Next, as an example, a method of fixing the edge of the elastic member 250 to the upper plate 110 , the heat dissipation plate 210 , and / or the coolant containing member 220 will be described.

[0122] Fig. 9 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an upper plate, a heat sink, a coolant containing member and an elastic member of a battery module or battery pack. First, Figure 2 as well as Figures 9 to 11 The sizes of the upper plate 110, the heat dissipation plate 210, the coolant containing member 220, and the elastic member 250 are not limited to those shown in these drawings, and may be modified and changed in various ways to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented.

[0123] The coolant containing member 220 is formed between the upper plate 110 of the battery module or battery pack and the heat dissipation plate 210. In addition, the elastic member 250 is provided to roughly divide the inner space of the coolant containing member 220 into two. Figure 2 As shown in , the edge of the elastic member 250 may be fixed to the inner wall of the coolant containing member 220 or to a portion in contact with the upper plate 110 and / or the heat dissipation plate 210. Fig. 9 In FIG. 1 , the edge of the elastic member 250 is indicated by B. Fig. 9 Therefore, in the present disclosure, when a battery module or a battery pack is viewed in three dimensions (3D), Figures 9 to 11 The description about the edge B of the elastic member 250 may be applied to both the front / rear and left / right edges of the battery module or battery pack.

[0124] Fig.10 is shown as fixed Fig. 9 A conceptual diagram of an example of a method of performing seam processing on the edge of an elastic member.

[0125] For example, in a state where the edge of the elastic member 250 is inserted between the edge of the upper plate 110 and the edge of the heat dissipation plate 210, the edge of the upper plate 110, the edge of the heat dissipation plate 210, and the edge of the elastic member 250 can all be seamed. In other words, the edges can be overlapped and pressed while being bent. The shape and structure of the seam processing of the edge of the upper plate 110, the edge of the heat dissipation plate 210, and the edge of the elastic member 250 are not limited to Fig.10 , and can be modified, changed and applied in various ways.

[0126] Fig.11 It shows fixed Fig. 9 A conceptual diagram of another example of a method of fastening the edge of an elastic member, showing a case where the embossing process and the mechanical fastening method are combined together.

[0127] For example, first, the edge of the upper plate 110 and the edge of the heat sink 210 are embossed to have an uneven portion. The edge of the upper plate 110 and the edge of the heat sink 210 are embossed to increase roughness and prevent the elastic member 250 from sliding. The edge of the elastic member 250 is temporarily fixed between the edge of the upper plate 110 and the edge of the heat sink 210 that have been embossed, and then the edge of the upper plate 110, the edge of the heat sink 210, and the edge of the elastic member 250 can be mechanically fastened using, for example, rivets / bolts. The shape and structure of the embossing of the edge of the upper plate 110 and the edge of the heat sink 210 are not limited to Fig.11 , and can be modified, changed and applied in various ways.

[0128] On the other hand, regarding the method of fixing the edge of the elastic member, the present disclosure is not limited to the above Figures 9 to 11 The contents described in, and various other processing methods can be modified, changed and applied.

[0129] In addition, Figures 9 to 11 In the description, the case where the coolant containing member 220 is disposed at the upper portion of the battery cell stack 101 has been described, but this may be similarly applied to the case where the coolant containing member 220 is disposed at the lower portion of the battery cell stack 101 .

[0130] The battery module or battery pack including one battery cell stack 101 and the cooling part included therein according to the present disclosure are described above mainly with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the cooling part according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be similarly applied to a battery pack including a plurality of battery cell stacks (battery cell module assemblies) 101.

[0131] Will refer to Fig.12 and Fig.13 A case where a plurality of battery cell stacks (battery cell module assemblies) 101 are stacked to form a battery pack is described. Fig.12 A state in which a plurality of battery cell stacks 101 are accommodated in a battery pack 100 ′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. Fig.13 yes Fig.12 A vertical cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing that a cooling unit 200 is included in Fig.12 The situation on the multiple battery cell stacks 101. Fig.12 and Fig.13 In the battery pack 100' of FIG. 1 , a cooling unit 200 is placed on a plurality of battery cell stacks 101. Figures 1 to 11 The cooling portion described in can be similarly applied to a battery pack 100 ′ in which a plurality of battery cell stacks 101 are stacked.

[0132] Reference Fig.13, the cooling unit 200 may be located on a plurality of battery cell stacks (battery cell module assemblies) 101 .

[0133] The frame includes an upper plate 110 disposed on the upper part of the plurality of battery cell stacks 101, a lower plate 120 disposed on the lower part of the plurality of battery cell stacks 101, and side plates (not shown) disposed between the upper plate 110 and the lower plate 120 and disposed on both sides of the plurality of battery cell stacks 101. In addition, a cross beam 140 may be included between the plurality of battery cell stacks 101. The shape of the frame including the upper plate 110, the lower plate 120, and the side plates is not limited to Fig.12 and Fig.13 The structures shown are shown and may be modified and changed in various ways to suit the environment in which the invention is implemented.

[0134] For reference, even in Fig.13 In the above description, the upper plate 110 and the lower plate 120 refer to the upper plate of the frame and the lower plate of the frame, respectively, and for convenience, are referred to as the upper plate 110 and the lower plate 120, respectively. This should be understood as a different concept from the upper plate of the coolant containing member 220 and the lower plate of the coolant containing member 220 based on the coolant containing member 220.

[0135] exist Fig.13 , the cooling unit 200 includes a coolant containing member 220 for containing a coolant. One surface of the coolant containing member 220 is disposed on at least one surface of the plurality of battery cell stacks 101. One surface of the coolant containing member 220 may be a heat dissipation plate 210. The other side facing the one surface of the coolant containing member 220 may be an upper plate 110 of the frame. That is, when the coolant containing member 220 is disposed on the upper portion of the plurality of battery cell stacks 101, the upper plate of the coolant containing member 220 may be an upper plate of the frame 110. The heat dissipation plate 210 includes a plurality of through holes 230. The through holes 230 are sealed by a sealing member 240.

[0136] On the other hand, the difference is that Fig.13 The coolant receiving member 220 of the battery pack 100 ′ is disposed on the plurality of battery cell stacks 101 , and Figure 2 The coolant containing member 220a of the battery module or battery pack 100 is provided on one battery cell stack 101, but Fig.13 The specific components of the coolant containing member 220 are Figure 2 Specific components of the coolant containing member 220 a of the battery module or battery pack 100 are the same.

[0137] Therefore, about Fig.13 The description of the specific components of the coolant containing member 220 is as follows Figure 2The description of the specific components of the coolant containing member 220a of the battery module or battery pack 100 is the same. Therefore, for further explanation, reference is made to the above Figures 1 to 11 In addition, regarding Fig.13 The description of the parts marked A and B in Figure 6 and Figures 9 to 11 The parts explained in are the same, so please refer to the above content for the relevant parts.

[0138] also, Fig.13 The cooling unit 200 is shown as being disposed on the plurality of battery cell stacks 101, but in some cases, various modifications and changes may be made, such as disposing the cooling unit 200 below the plurality of battery cell stacks 101. Of course, the partition wall 215 may also be applied to the above Figure 4 The cooling portion 220a described in the embodiment.

[0139] In this way, when the battery module and / or battery pack according to the present disclosure and the cooling part included therein are used, even if the battery cell catches fire, the battery cell can be quickly cooled. In addition, even if the coolant receiving space is arranged obliquely, all the coolant in the coolant receiving space can be supplied to the battery cell that has caught fire. The thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery cell can be effectively suppressed while minimizing the increase in the volume of the battery module and / or battery pack.

[0140] Those of ordinary skill in the art, using the disclosure provided herein, will appreciate that various applications and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0141] The present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and that various modifications and improvements may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0142] [Explanation of Reference Numerals]

[0143] 101: Battery Cell Stack

[0144] 110: On the board

[0145] 120: Lower board

[0146] 130: Side panels

[0147] 200, 200a, 200a', 200b, 200b': cooling part

[0148] 210, 310, 410, 510, 610: heat sink

[0149] 215: Partition wall

[0150] 220, 320: Coolant containing member

[0151] 230, 230', 230", 267, 267', 330: Through hole

[0152] 240, 268, 268', 340, 440, 540, 640: Sealing components

[0153] 250: Elastic member

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising: A battery cell stack, wherein a plurality of battery cells are stacked in the battery cell stack; a frame that accommodates the battery cell stack; as well as a cooling unit, the cooling unit being arranged on the battery cell stack, Wherein, the cooling unit comprises: a coolant containing member, the coolant containing member comprising an upper plate and a lower plate; an elastic member disposed in an inner space of the coolant containing member; and a sealing member that seals at least one through hole formed in the lower plate of the coolant containing member and can be melted by a temperature increase of the battery cell, and Here, a coolant is accommodated in a space between the elastic member and the lower plate of the coolant accommodation member, and the elastic member expands as the coolant is accommodated.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic member has a film shape and covers the lower plate of the coolant containing member including the at least one through hole.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: When the sealing member is melted by an increase in the temperature of the battery cells, the elastic member presses the coolant and supplies the coolant to the battery cell stack.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: When the coolant is supplied to the battery cell stack, the elastic member gradually contracts as a pressure of the coolant pressing the elastic member gradually decreases.

5. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: An edge of the elastic member having a film shape is fixed to an edge of the lower plate of the coolant containing member or in the vicinity of the edge of the lower plate of the coolant containing member.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein: The edge of the elastic member is interposed between the edge of the upper plate and the edge of the lower plate of the coolant containing member and then seamed, or The edges of the upper plate and the lower plate of the coolant containing member are embossed, and the edge of the elastic member is interposed between the edges of the upper plate and the lower plate and then mechanically fastened.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: Before the sealing member is melted, the elastic member expands to a maximum extent within the coolant containing member.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The lower plate of the coolant containing member is a heat dissipation plate.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The coolant containing member has a structure integrally formed with the frame, and the upper plate of the coolant containing member constitutes a part of the frame.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The coolant containing member has a structure for storing the coolant.

11. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The coolant containing member is a water tank, and the coolant is cooling water.

12. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The coolant containing member includes an inlet and outlet through which the coolant can flow in and out, and the inlet and outlet are located in a space between the lower plate of the coolant containing member and the elastic member.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The battery pack includes at least one partition wall provided in the inner space of the coolant containing member to partition the inner space into a plurality of areas, The at least one partition wall is disposed perpendicular to one surface of the coolant containing member and is disposed along a length direction of the battery cell, and The elastic member is discretely disposed across each of the plurality of regions.

14. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The sealing member is made of a thermoplastic polymer resin.

15. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic member has a melting point higher than a melting point of the sealing member.

16. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic member is made of a material having waterproof properties while being able to shrink and expand.

17. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic member has a double-layer structure in which a belt-shaped member capable of contraction and expansion is surrounded by a waterproof fabric.

18. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling part is provided on at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the battery cell stack.

19. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The framework includes: an upper plate disposed on an upper side of the battery cell stack; a lower plate disposed on a lower side of the battery cell stack; and A side plate is provided between the upper plate and the lower plate on the side of the battery cell stack, Wherein, the lower plate of the coolant containing member is spaced apart from the frame by a predetermined distance to form the coolant containing member.

20. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cell stack is provided in plurality, and The cooling unit is provided on the plurality of battery cell stacks.

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