Battery pack for vehicle

Abstract

A battery pack of a vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules and a first cooling jacket having a flow path through which a cooling medium flows formed therein, each of the plurality of battery modules including a battery and a power conversion module that converts power of the battery, the power conversion module is in close contact with one surface of the first cooling jacket, and the battery is in close contact with the other surface of the first cooling jacket.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0104955 filed on August 10, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0106206 filed on August 8, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a battery pack for a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Generally, an environmentally friendly vehicle may include a battery pack equipped with a plurality of batteries, a power conversion module (e.g., an inverter or a converter), etc. The battery pack and the power conversion module may occupy separate spaces, respectively, and a cooling device for supplying a coolant to each of the battery pack and the power conversion module may also be separately installed, so that the components for connecting them may be configured very complicatedly.

[0005] Furthermore, when driving an environmentally friendly vehicle, both the battery and the power conversion module need to be cooled, but when charging the battery, the power conversion module does not need to be cooled. Therefore, if the cooling capacity of the power conversion module can be converted to the cooling capacity of the battery when charging the battery, the cooling of the battery can be focused, so that the charging speed can be increased and stability can be ensured.

[0006] However, in the structure of the existing cooling device, the cooling device is installed for the battery pack and the power conversion module respectively, and each cooling device can be operated independently. Therefore, it is not possible to focus on the cooling of the battery, and the charging speed cannot be increased and the stability cannot be ensured when charging the battery. Summary of the invention

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is directed to providing a battery pack for a vehicle that can improve cooling performance of a battery and a power conversion module.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a battery pack for a vehicle that can simplify a cooling structure and focus on cooling of batteries when charging the batteries to ensure charging speed and stability while reducing costs.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is directed to providing a battery pack for a vehicle, which is capable of differently controlling cooling performance of a power conversion module and a battery.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery pack for a vehicle comprises: a plurality of battery modules; and a first cooling jacket having a flow path formed therein for a cooling medium to flow through, wherein each of the plurality of battery modules comprises a battery and a power conversion module, the power conversion module converts power of the battery, wherein the power conversion module is in close contact with one surface of the first cooling jacket, and the battery is in close contact with another surface of the first cooling jacket.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the battery pack may further include a second cooling jacket that is in close contact with lower surfaces of the plurality of battery modules and has a flow path formed therein through which a cooling medium flows.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the battery and the first cooling jacket, the first cooling jacket and the power conversion module, and the second cooling jacket and the plurality of battery modules may be in close contact with each other through a heat transfer medium.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the second cooling jacket and the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket can be independently adjusted.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of battery modules may further include a bus bar connecting the battery and the power conversion module, and the first cooling jacket may have at least one opening through which the bus bar passes.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bus bar may have: one side which is fastened to the battery through the opening; and the other side which is fastened to the power conversion module through the opening.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bus bar may have shape.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first cooling jacket may be formed as a single cooling jacket, or in the form of a plurality of cooling jackets connected.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power conversion module may include at least one of a DC / DC converter or a DC / AC inverter.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery pack for a vehicle comprises: a plurality of battery modules; a first cooling jacket having a flow path formed inside thereof through which a cooling medium flows; a second cooling jacket having a flow path formed inside thereof through which a cooling medium flows, wherein each of the plurality of battery modules comprises: a battery; a power conversion module that converts power from the battery; a bus bar that connects the battery and the power conversion module, wherein the power conversion module is in close contact with one surface of the first cooling jacket, and the battery is in close contact with another surface of the first cooling jacket, and the plurality of battery modules are in close contact with an upper surface of the second cooling jacket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A top view of the battery pack is shown in FIG.

[0023] Figure 2B yes Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of a battery pack is shown in FIG.

[0024] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a schematic diagram showing a flow path in a first cooling jacket according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a circuit of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following detailed description is provided to help fully understand the methods, devices and / or systems described in this specification. However, the detailed description is only for illustrative purposes, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0028] When describing an embodiment of the present invention, when determining that the detailed description of the prior art related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the main points of the present invention, its detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the terms described afterwards are terms defined in consideration of the functions in the present invention, which can change according to the intention or habit of the user or operator. Therefore, these terms should be defined based on the content running through this specification. The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing a specific embodiment, not for limiting the embodiment. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is intended to also include the plural form. As used herein, when used in this specification, the terms "include", "comprise", "have" etc. indicate the presence of the features, numerical values, steps, operations, elements, components or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerical values, steps, operations, elements, components and / or their groups.

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A top view of a battery pack is shown in FIG. Figure 2B yes Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of a battery pack is shown in FIG.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 2B As shown, the battery pack 100 of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of battery modules 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g, 110h, 110i, 110j, 110k and 110l, a first cooling jacket 300, and a second cooling jacket 200. Figure 1 Twelve battery modules are shown, but this is shown to help understand the present invention, and the number may be at least two or more.

[0031] The plurality of battery modules 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g, 110h, 110i, 110j, 110k, and 110l may include three single-phase battery systems 110-1, 110-2, and 110-3. The three single-phase battery systems 110-1, 110-2, and 110-3 may include output terminals of the inverter connected in series using a bus bar 115 (see later described). Figure 5 The three-phase (A phase, B phase, C phase) AC system output terminal is configured by using 413 and 414. The three-phase (A phase, B phase, C phase) AC system output terminal can output different AC voltages with the same amplitude and the same phase difference.

[0032] For example, the three-phase (A phase, B phase, C phase) AC system output terminal can output different AC voltages with a phase difference of 120 degrees. Therefore, the three-phase (A phase, B phase, C phase) AC system output terminal can output a three-phase AC voltage and can provide a driving voltage to a motor that uses the three-phase AC voltage as a driving voltage.

[0033] The bus bar 115 may be disposed on the side of the battery module and may be installed spaced apart from the first cooling jacket 300 so as not to contact the first cooling jacket 300 so as to be cooled by air cooling, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The bus bar 115 may be configured to contact the first cooling jacket 300 .

[0034] The plurality of battery modules 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g, 110h, 110i, 110j, 110k, and 110l may have the same structure. Figures 1 to 2B The structure thereof will be described, focusing on the battery module 110 a .

[0035] The battery module 110 a may include a battery 111 , a power conversion module 112 that converts power of the battery 111 , and a bus bar 113 .

[0036] The second cooling jacket 200 may be in close contact with lower surfaces of the battery modules 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g, 110h, 110i, 110j, 110k, and 110l, and a flow path through which a cooling medium flows may be formed therein.

[0037] The cooling medium may be introduced through the inlet 200a, circulate throughout the second cooling jacket 200 along a flow path formed in the second cooling jacket 200, and then discharged through the outlet 200b. In this case, the cooling medium may be a coolant, but other cooling media may also be applied in addition to the coolant.

[0038] The battery 111 may be in close contact with one surface of the first cooling jacket 300, the power conversion module 112 may be in close contact with another surface of the first cooling jacket 300, and a flow path 300c through which a cooling medium flows may be formed in the first cooling jacket 300. Although the drawings show that the battery 111 is in close contact with the lower surface of the first cooling jacket 300 and the power conversion module 112 is in close contact with the upper surface of the first cooling jacket 300, it is understood that, according to the embodiment, the battery 111 may be in close contact with the upper surface of the first cooling jacket 300, and the power conversion module 112 may be in close contact with the lower surface of the first cooling jacket 300. The cooling medium may be introduced through the inlet 300a, circulate throughout the first cooling jacket 300 along the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket 300, and then be discharged through the outlet 300b.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thermal resistance between the first cooling jacket 300 and the battery 111 may be smaller than the thermal resistance between the first cooling jacket 300 and the power conversion module 112. To this end, the distance between the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket and the battery may be configured to be shorter than the distance between the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket and the power conversion module, or, among the flow paths formed in the first cooling jacket, the area of ​​the flow path adjacent to the power conversion module may be configured to be smaller than the area of ​​the flow path adjacent to the battery (see below). Figure 3A and Figure 3B ).

[0040] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a schematic diagram showing a flow path in a first cooling jacket according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Specifically, Figure 3A As shown, a distance L1 between the flow path 300 c formed in the first cooling jacket 300 and the battery 111 may be shorter than a distance L2 between the flow path 300 c formed in the first cooling jacket 300 and the power conversion module 112 .

[0042] like Figure 3B As shown, among the flow paths 300 c formed in the first cooling jacket 300 , an area A1 of the flow path adjacent to the power conversion module 112 may be smaller than an area A2 of the flow path adjacent to the battery 111 .

[0043] Alternatively, the thermal resistance of the heat transfer medium 114 b disposed between the first cooling jacket 300 and the battery 111 may be smaller than the thermal resistance of the heat transfer medium 114 c disposed between the first cooling jacket 300 and the power conversion module 112 .

[0044] With this configuration, the cooling performance of the power conversion module and the battery can be controlled differently.

[0045] Reference again Figures 1 to 2B , the first cooling jacket 300 may be provided with at least one opening 300 d through which the bus bar 113 passes, and the bus bar 113 may be connected to the battery 111 and the power conversion module 112 through the opening 300 d.

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] like Figure 4 As shown, the bus bar 113 may include a conductor 113a such as copper and an insulating medium 113b (e.g., an insulating coating or insulating paper) for insulating the conductor 113a. One end of the bus bar 113 may be screwed to the battery 111 through a groove 113c, and the other end of the bus bar 113 may be screwed to the power conversion module 112 through a groove 113d. The bus bar 113 may have shape.

[0048] The second cooling jacket 200 and multiple battery modules 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g, 110h, 110i, 110j, 110k and 110l, the battery 111 and the first cooling jacket 300, and the first cooling jacket 300 and the power conversion module 112 can be in close contact with each other through heat transfer media 114a, 114b and 114c, respectively.

[0049] The heat transfer medium 114 a , 114 b , and 114 c may be provided as thermal grease or a heat transfer pad.

[0050] The flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the second cooling jacket 200 and the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket 300 can be adjusted independently. To this end, a valve or a water pump (not shown separately) can be installed in the inlet 200a of the second cooling jacket 200 and the inlet 300a of the first cooling jacket 300, respectively, to independently control the flow rate of the cooling medium. This is only an example of the present invention, and it is obvious that it can be implemented in various ways according to the needs of those skilled in the art. Through such a configuration, the cooling performance of the power conversion module and the battery can be controlled differently.

[0051] The power conversion module 112 may be a device for converting power of the battery 111 , and may include at least one of a DC / DC converter or a DC / AC inverter.

[0052] Figure 5is a schematic diagram showing a circuit of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that Figure 5 The circuit shown in the figure is intended to help understand the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to Figure 5 .

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown, the battery module 110 may include a battery 111, an inverter 410 (which is connected to the battery 111), a first DC / DC converter 420, and a second DC / DC converter 430. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a common capacitor 440 may be further included. The inverter 410, the first DC / DC converter 420, and the second DC / DC converter 430 may correspond to a power conversion module of the present invention.

[0054] The battery 111 can output a battery voltage and can charge or discharge electric energy. In addition, the battery voltage can form a basic voltage of the battery module 110 to provide an input voltage of the inverter 410, an input voltage of the first DC / DC converter 420, and an input voltage of the second DC / DC converter 430.

[0055] In addition, the battery 111 may have a battery voltage lower than a high voltage battery pack applied to a conventional electric vehicle driving system. Therefore, the battery module 110 of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention may apply a power conversion element capable of operating at a low voltage to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0056] Based on the battery module 110 according to the embodiment of the present invention, since various sizes and types of voltages can be output according to the series / parallel combination of the battery module 110, it can have the following advantages: using a single standard battery module 110, it can be suitable for various specifications of vehicle models and can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0057] For example, when the battery voltage is set to 100 V, a battery system outputting a voltage of 400 V can be formed by connecting four battery modules 110 in series, and a battery system outputting a voltage of 800 V can be formed by connecting eight battery modules 110 in series. In addition, for example, when the battery voltage is set to 50 V, a battery system outputting a voltage of 400 V can be formed by connecting eight battery modules 110 in series, and a battery system outputting a voltage of 800 V can be formed by connecting 16 battery modules 110 in series.

[0058] In addition, a single-phase battery system that outputs a high-voltage AC voltage can be formed by connecting the battery modules 110 in series and using the output of the inverter, and a three-phase AC voltage can be output by using multiple single-phase battery systems. In addition, a battery system that flows a large current can be formed by combining the battery modules 110 in parallel.

[0059] The inverter 410 may convert the battery voltage into an AC module voltage and may output the AC module voltage. The inverter 410 may include input terminals 411 and 412, which may be connected in parallel to the battery 111 to receive the battery voltage, and output terminals 413 and 414, which may output the AC module voltage. In this specification, the output terminals 413 and 414 of the inverter may be referred to as AC module output terminals that output the AC module voltage.

[0060] In addition, the first DC / DC converter 420 can convert the battery voltage into a first DC module voltage lower than the battery voltage, and can output the first DC module voltage. The first DC module voltage can be set to a driving voltage of a low-voltage load. For example, a low-voltage load can be an electrical load such as various lights, radios, infotainment systems, etc. of an electric vehicle. The first DC module voltage can be set to 12V, 24V, or 48V, which can be a driving voltage of a low-voltage load. The amplitude of the voltage mentioned herein is only an embodiment, and can be set to a voltage of various amplitudes according to the design.

[0061] The first DC / DC converter 420 may include input terminals 421 and 422 and output terminals 423 and 424. The input terminals 421 and 422 of the first DC / DC converter 420 may be connected in parallel to the battery 111 to receive the battery voltage, and the output terminals 423 and 424 of the first DC / DC converter 420 may output the first DC module voltage. In this specification, the output terminals 423 and 424 of the first DC / DC converter 420 may also be referred to as first DC module output terminals that output the first DC module voltage.

[0062] In addition, the output terminals 423 and 424 of the first DC / DC converter 420 may be directly connected to a low voltage load to provide a first DC block voltage.

[0063] In an embodiment, one end 424 of the output terminal of the first DC / DC converter 420 can be grounded, and the other end 423 can be connected to a low voltage load to output the first DC module voltage. In another embodiment, both ends of the output terminal of the first DC / DC converter 420 can be connected to both ends of the low voltage load to output the first DC module voltage.

[0064] In addition, the second DC / DC converter 430 may convert the battery voltage into a second DC module voltage, and may output the second DC module voltage. The second DC module voltage may be set to a higher value than the first DC module voltage output from the first DC / DC converter 420. In addition, the second DC module voltage may be less than or equal to the battery voltage, and may be greater than the battery voltage.

[0065] In addition, the second DC module voltage output from the second DC / DC converter 430 can be connected in series with the second DC module voltage output from the different battery modules 110 to provide power to the high voltage load. For example, the second DC module voltage output from the second DC / DC converter 430 may not be a single output to provide power to the high voltage load, but may be connected in series with the second DC module voltage of the different battery modules 110 to provide power to the high voltage load. Since the battery voltage included in the battery module 110 is configured as a low voltage, in order to provide voltage to a high voltage load such as an air conditioning system, a plurality of battery modules 110 may be combined in series to provide a high voltage. For example, the output terminal of the second DC / DC converter 430 may be connected in series with the output terminal of the second DC / DC converter 430 of the different battery modules to form a high voltage and provide power to the high voltage load.

[0066] In addition, the second DC / DC converter 430 may include input terminals 431 and 432 and output terminals 433 and 434. The input terminals 431 and 432 of the second DC / DC converter 430 may be connected in parallel with the battery 111 to receive the battery voltage, and the output terminals 433 and 434 of the second DC / DC converter 430 may output the second DC module voltage. In addition, the output terminals 433 and 434 of the second DC / DC converter 430 in this specification may also be referred to as second DC module output terminals that output the second DC module voltage.

[0067] In addition, the output terminals 433 and 434 of the second DC / DC converter 430 may be connected in series with output terminals of the second DC / DC converter 430 included in a different battery module, or may be connected to a high voltage load.

[0068] The battery 111 may be configured to be connected in parallel with input terminals 411 and 412 of the inverter 410 , input terminals 421 and 422 of the first DC / DC converter 420 , and input terminals 431 and 432 of the second DC / DC converter 430 .

[0069] The common capacitor 440 may be connected in parallel with the battery 111 and may be configured to be connected in parallel with the input terminals 411 and 412 of the inverter, the input terminals 421 and 422 of the first DC / DC converter, and the input terminals 431 and 432 of the second DC / DC converter.

[0070] Based on the battery module 110 according to the embodiment of the present invention, since a common capacitor can be shared without applying separate capacitors to the inverter and the converter respectively, it can have the advantage of reducing the volume, and since low-voltage capacitors can be applied, it can have the advantage of reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0071] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a first cooling jacket may be added to a battery pack, and a power conversion module and a battery may be in close contact with one surface and another surface of the first cooling jacket, respectively, to improve cooling performance of the battery and the power conversion module.

[0072] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, power conversion modules such as inverters and converters can be gathered in a battery pack, and a cooling jacket for cooling them can be arranged in the battery pack to simplify the cooling structure and focus on the cooling of the battery when the battery is charged, thereby ensuring the charging speed and stability while reducing costs.

[0073] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the thermal resistance between the first cooling jacket and the battery can be configured to be smaller than the thermal resistance between the first cooling jacket and the power conversion module, or the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the second cooling jacket and the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket can be independently adjusted to enable the cooling performance of the power conversion module and the battery to be controlled differently.

[0074] Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the rights of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined by the appended claims and the equivalents of the claims.

[0075] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a first cooling jacket may be added to the battery pack, and the power conversion module and the battery may be in close contact with one surface and the other surface of the first cooling jacket, respectively, to improve cooling performance of the battery and the power conversion module.

[0076] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, power conversion modules such as inverters and converters can be gathered in a battery pack, and a cooling jacket for cooling them can be arranged in the battery pack to simplify the cooling structure and focus on the cooling of the battery when the battery is charged, thereby ensuring the charging speed and stability while reducing costs.

[0077] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the thermal resistance between the first cooling jacket and the battery can be configured to be smaller than the thermal resistance between the first cooling jacket and the power conversion module, or the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the second cooling jacket and the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket can be independently adjusted to enable the cooling performance of the power conversion module and the battery to be controlled differently.

[0078] While exemplary embodiments have been illustrated and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack for a vehicle, comprising: Multiple battery modules; as well as A first cooling jacket has a flow path formed inside thereof through which a cooling medium flows, Wherein, each of the plurality of battery modules comprises: Batteries; and The power conversion module converts the power of the battery. The power conversion module is in close contact with one surface of the first cooling jacket, and the battery is in close contact with the other surface of the first cooling jacket. 2 . The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a second cooling jacket which is in close contact with lower surfaces of the plurality of battery modules and has a flow path formed therein through which a cooling medium flows.

3. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The battery and the first cooling jacket, the first cooling jacket and the power conversion module, and the second cooling jacket and the plurality of battery modules are in close contact with each other through a heat transfer medium.

4. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the second cooling jacket and the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through the flow path formed in the first cooling jacket can be independently adjusted.

5. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of battery modules further includes a bus bar connecting the battery and the power conversion module, The first cooling jacket has at least one opening through which the bus bar passes.

6. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: The bus bar has: fastened to a side of the battery through the opening; and The power conversion module is fastened to the other side through the opening.

7. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: The bus bar has shape.

8. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The first cooling jacket is formed as a single cooling jacket, or is formed in a form of a plurality of cooling jackets connected.

9. The battery pack for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The power conversion module includes at least one of a DC / DC converter or a DC / AC inverter.

10. A battery pack for a vehicle, comprising: A plurality of battery modules, a first cooling jacket and a second cooling jacket, wherein a flow path through which a cooling medium flows is formed inside the first cooling jacket, and a flow path through which a cooling medium flows is formed inside the second cooling jacket, Wherein, each of the plurality of battery modules comprises: Battery; a power conversion module that converts power from the battery; and Bus bars, which connect the battery and the power conversion module, The power conversion module is in close contact with one surface of the first cooling jacket, and the battery is in close contact with another surface of the first cooling jacket, The plurality of battery modules are in close contact with an upper surface of the second cooling jacket.

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