Battery pack and fire extinguishing method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a battery pack and a fire extinguishing method thereof, the battery pack including a battery case having: a battery cell accommodating space portion accommodating a plurality of battery cells; a lower space portion below the battery cell accommodating space portion; and a battery cell base portion between the lower space portion and the battery cell accommodating space portion and supporting the plurality of battery cells. The battery cell base portion includes: a base melting portion configured to melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated by an adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells; and a susceptor non-melting portion configured to not melt when heated to the reference temperature or higher by heat generated by the adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0139854 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on October 18, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a battery pack including a fire extinguishing system and a method of extinguishing a fire in the battery pack. Background Art

[0004] Generally, a secondary battery refers to a battery designed to be rechargeable and dischargeable, unlike a primary battery designed to be non-rechargeable. Secondary batteries are used as energy sources for mobile devices, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electric bicycles, uninterruptible power supplies, etc. Secondary batteries can be used in the form of a single battery, or in the form of a group in which a plurality of battery cells are connected and grouped into one unit according to the type of external device to which they are applied.

[0005] Small mobile devices such as mobile phones can operate for a certain amount of time based on the output and capacity of a single battery, but for devices that require long-term driving and high-power operation and consume a large amount of electricity, such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc., a pack type secondary battery including multiple batteries is generally used because sufficient output and capacity are provided. The output voltage or output current can be increased by increasing the number of batteries included.

[0006] Immersion is a fire extinguishing system used to prevent thermal runaway in battery cells. Immersion refers to a system that suppresses thermal runaway by immersing the battery cells in a fire extinguishing liquid.

[0007] exist Figure 1 A general battery pack including a fire extinguishing system is shown in FIG. Figure 1 In a general battery pack including a fire extinguishing system, a pipe 4a through which the coolant 4 flows for water cooling is arranged in the water cooling system of the battery pack, and a pipe 3a through which the fire extinguishing liquid 3 flows is separately arranged in the fire extinguishing system in the battery pack.

[0008] In order to configure the water cooling system and the fire extinguishing system separately, the coolant 4 for water cooling and the fire extinguishing liquid 3 for fire extinguishing must be provided separately, and the coolant 4 flows into the pipe 4a for water cooling and the pipe 3a for the fire extinguishing liquid 3, which complicates the internal structure of the battery pack.

[0009] Furthermore, when the water cooling system and the fire extinguishing system are separately configured (or separately provided), the volume of the fire extinguishing system and the weight of the battery pack may be increased, and thus the energy density of the battery pack may be reduced. Summary of the invention

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, which can effectively perform fire extinguishing through a compact structure in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cells.

[0011] However, these aspects and features of the present disclosure are merely examples, and the aspects and features of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0012] Additional aspects and features will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the described embodiments of the disclosure.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery pack includes a battery housing that accommodates a plurality of battery cells, and the battery housing has: a battery cell accommodating space portion that accommodates the plurality of battery cells; a lower space portion that is below the battery cell accommodating space portion; and a battery cell base portion that is between the lower space portion and the battery cell accommodating space portion and supports the plurality of battery cells. The battery cell base portion includes: a base melting portion that is configured to melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated by an adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells; and a base non-melting portion that is configured not to melt when heated to the reference temperature or higher by heat generated by the adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells.

[0014] The base non-melting portion may include: a plurality of first base non-melting portions, respectively contacting a bottom portion of each of the plurality of battery cells; and a second base non-melting portion, spaced apart from each of the plurality of battery cells, and the base melting portion may be between the first base non-melting portion and the second base non-melting portion.

[0015] A thickness (or height) of a portion of the susceptor melting portion adjacent to the first susceptor non-melting portion may be smaller than a thickness (or height) of a portion of the susceptor melting portion adjacent to the second susceptor non-melting portion.

[0016] An end portion of the first seat non-melted portion may be aligned with an end point of a rounded corner of the bottom portion of each of the plurality of battery cells.

[0017] The base melting portion may have: a first melting portion width at a portion corresponding to a short width side portion of each of the plurality of battery cells on the base non-melting portion; and a second melting portion width at a portion corresponding to a long width side portion of each of the plurality of battery cells on the base non-melting portion. The first melting portion width and the second melting portion width may be variable.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a fire extinguishing method of a battery pack includes: melting a base melting portion adjacent to a battery cell experiencing thermal runaway; and flowing a coolant from a lower space portion located below the base melting portion into a battery cell accommodating space portion through an opening formed at a position where the base melting portion was once located, so as to immerse the battery cell in the coolant.

[0019] Other aspects and features of the present disclosure in addition to those described above will become apparent from the provided detailed description of the present disclosure, the claims and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other aspects and features of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a general battery pack including a fire extinguishing system;

[0022] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a battery pack taken along line AA' in FIG. 1 , showing a battery pack in a state before thermal runaway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of part C in FIG.

[0025] Figure 5 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, when thermal runaway occurs, Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along line AA';

[0026] Figure 6 The non-melting portion of the base is melted and the battery cell receiving space is filled with a coolant through the melted portion of the non-melting portion of the base so that the battery cell is immersed in the coolant. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along line AA';

[0027] Figure 7 is Figure 2 The battery cells in the battery pack are viewed from the direction B when removed from the battery pack. Figure 2 A plan view of a battery pack shown in FIG.

[0028] Figure 8 is Figure 2 Observed from the direction B Figure 2 A plan view of a battery pack shown in FIG.

[0029] Fig. 9 yes Figure 4 An enlarged view of a portion D in FIG. 1 , showing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0030] Fig.10 is a flowchart describing a fire extinguishing method of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In this regard, the described embodiments may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings to explain aspects and features of the present disclosure.

[0032] The present disclosure may have various modifications and various embodiments thereof, and therefore, the embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, it should be understood that this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to one or more specific embodiments, and the present disclosure should be understood to include all changes, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0033] If some embodiments can be implemented in other ways, a specific process order can be performed differently from the described order. For example, two processes described in succession can be performed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, or can be performed in the reverse order of the described order.

[0034] It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may also be one or more intervening elements or layers. When an element or layer is referred to as being "directly on," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers. For example, when a first element is described as being "coupled to" or "connected to" a second element, the first element may be directly coupled or connected to the second element, or the first element may be indirectly coupled or connected to the second element via one or more intervening elements.

[0035] In the accompanying drawings, for the sake of illustration, the sizes of various elements, layers, etc. can be enlarged. The same reference numerals represent the same elements. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In addition, when describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, the use of "may" relates to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure". Statements such as "at least one of..." and "any one of..." modify the entire element list when after the element list, without modifying the single element of the list. For example, the statement "at least one of a, b, and c" means only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c or its variant. As used herein, the terms "use" and "used" can be considered to be synonymous with the terms "utilize" and "utilized", respectively. As used herein, the terms "substantially", "about" and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than degree terms, and are intended to illustrate the inherent changes in the measured or calculated values ​​that should be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0036] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another element, component, region, layer, or section. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0037] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "below", "below", "down", "above", "on", etc. can be used in this article to describe the relationship between an element or feature and another element or feature as illustrated in the figure. It will be understood that, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figure, the spatial relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, the element described as "below" or "below" other elements or features will then be oriented "above" or "on" other elements or features. Therefore, the term "below" can cover both upper and lower orientations. The device can be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used in this article should be interpreted accordingly.

[0038] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular form "one" is intended to also include the plural form, unless the context clearly states otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "include" and / or "comprise" when used in this specification clearly specify the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts of the description, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or their groups.

[0039] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 2 to Figure 4 A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described.

[0040] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a battery pack taken along line AA′ in FIG. 1 shows a battery pack in a state before thermal runaway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Magnified view of portion C in FIG.

[0041] refer to Figure 2 to Figure 4 , the battery pack 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a battery case 120 accommodating a plurality of battery cells 110, a battery cell accommodating space portion S2 accommodating the plurality of battery cells 110 in the battery case 120, a lower space portion S1 disposed below the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 in the battery case 120, and a battery cell base portion 130 formed between the lower space portion S1 and the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 (e.g., separating the lower space portion S1 and the battery cell accommodating space portion S2) and supporting the plurality of battery cells 110. The battery cell base portion 130 may include a base melting portion 132 that melts when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated from the battery cells, and a base non-melting portion 131 that does not melt when heated to the reference temperature or higher.

[0042] A plurality of battery cells 110 may be housed inside the battery housing 120. With reference to the illustrated embodiment, each battery cell 110 may be a prismatic battery cell, but in other embodiments, each battery cell 110 may be a cylindrical battery cell or a pouch-type battery cell. In other words, the type of battery cell is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0043] Referring to the illustrated embodiment, the battery housing 120 may include a battery cell accommodating space portion S2 accommodating a plurality of battery cells 110 and a lower space portion S1 accommodating a coolant. The lower space portion S1 may be disposed below the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 and may accommodate the coolant W so that the coolant W accommodated in the lower space portion S2 may cool (e.g., may remove) heat generated during a charge / discharge cycle of the battery pack 100 to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100.

[0044] The coolant W accommodated in the lower space portion S1 may circulate by being supplied to the lower space portion S1 through the inlet 121 and discharged to the outside through the outlet 122 .

[0045] The battery cell base portion 130 may be arranged between the lower space portion S1 and the battery cell receiving space portion S2 in the form of a plate to separate the lower space portion S1 from the battery cell receiving space portion S2. The battery cell base portion 130 may support the plurality of battery cells 110 arranged in the battery cell receiving space portion S2. A portion of the battery cell base portion 130 may be arranged to contact the bottom portions of the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0046] Referring to the illustrated embodiment, the battery cell base portion 130 may include a base non-melting portion 131 and a base melting portion 132. The base melting portion 132 may melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated from any one of the battery cells 110, but the base non-melting portion 131 may not melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated from the battery cells 110. For example, the base melting portion 132 may melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated from an adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells 110, but the base non-melting portion 131 may not melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated from an adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells 110. That is, the base melting portion 132 and the base non-melting portion 131 may be formed of different materials.

[0047] The base non-melting portion 131 may be formed of a material having a greater thermal resistance than the base melting portion 132. The base non-melting portion 131 may include a material having a relatively high thermal resistance sufficient to withstand high temperature heat so as to maintain its shape without deformation even if thermal runaway of the battery cell 110 occurs.

[0048] The material of the base melting portion 132 may have a melting point lower than the reference temperature. The material of the base non-melting portion 131 may have a melting point higher than the reference temperature.

[0049] If the internal temperature of the battery cell 110 increases due to the condition of the battery cell, an abnormal reaction may occur in the battery cell 110. As an example of an abnormal operating condition, thermal runaway of the battery cell 110 may occur due to overheating of the battery cell 110 or overcharging of the battery cell 110, which may cause a fire. As such, the battery pack 100 may include a fire extinguishing system configured to extinguish a fire.

[0050] Referring to the exemplary embodiments, Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , if thermal runaway of the battery cell 110 occurs, the temperature around the battery cell 110 may increase due to the thermal runaway of the battery cell 110, and the base melting portion 132 may melt due to the corresponding increased temperature, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 . If the base melting portion 132 melts, the coolant W supplied to the lower space portion S1 may flow into the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 through the portion (e.g., region) where the base melting portion 32 was before melting (e.g., through an opening formed by the melted base melting portion). The coolant W' flowing into the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 may gradually rise due to the coolant supply, so that the battery cell 110 experiencing thermal runaway may be immersed in the coolant W'. By immersing the battery cell 110 in the coolant W', thermal runaway occurring in the battery cell 110 may be controlled, and a fire in the battery pack 100 may be extinguished.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery pack 100 may include a system in which a water cooling system and a fire extinguishing system are integrated. The base melting portion 132 of the battery cell base portion 130 may be configured to melt when exposed to high temperature heat in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 110, and when the base melting portion 132 melts, the lower space portion S1 and the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 may be connected to each other (e.g., may be fluidly connected to each other). When the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 where the battery cell 110 is located is filled with the coolant W from the lower space portion S1, the battery cell 110 may be immersed to extinguish a fire in the battery pack.

[0052] Under normal conditions, the overall temperature of the battery pack 100 can be controlled by using the water cooling system in the lower space portion S1 of the battery pack 100 and the coolant W filled in the lower space portion S1, and in an emergency state such as a thermal runaway of the battery cell 110, since the high-temperature heat of the battery cell 110 is allowed to be immersed in the coolant W', the coolant W from the water cooling system can naturally flow around the battery cell 110 without a separate power supply, thereby using the water cooling system for a fire extinguishing function in an emergency.

[0053] Therefore, the internal components of the battery pack 100 can be compact (or can remain compact), and the number of components arranged inside the battery pack 100 can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume and weight of the components and improving the energy density of the battery pack 100 as a whole.

[0054] In the following, reference Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Fig.10 , a fire extinguishing method of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0055] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along line AA' in FIG. 1 , showing a state of the battery pack before thermal runaway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along line AA′ in FIG. 1 shows a state of the battery pack in which thermal runaway occurs according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 It is along Figure 2 The sectional view of the battery pack taken along the line AA′ in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the base melting portion is melted and the battery cell receiving space portion is filled with the coolant through the melted portion of the base melting portion so that the battery cells are immersed in the coolant. Fig.10 is a flowchart describing a fire extinguishing method of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] The fire extinguishing method of the battery pack according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include: operation S100, thermal runaway F of the battery cell 110 occurs, such as Figure 5 Operation S200, the base portion 132 adjacent to the battery cell 110 melts (eg, in response to heat generated by the battery cell 110 experiencing thermal runaway F) as shown in FIG. Figure 6 and operation S300, the coolant W from the lower space portion S1 flows into the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 through the portion where the base melting portion 132 was once located (eg, an opening formed at the position where the base melting portion 132 was once located) to immerse the battery cell 110 in the coolant W '.

[0057] In the following, reference Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the structure of a battery cell base portion of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail.

[0058] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Magnified view of portion C in FIG. Figure 7 is Figure 2A plan view of the battery pack as viewed from direction B with the battery cells in the battery pack removed from the battery pack. Figure 8 is Figure 2 A plan view of the battery pack viewed in direction B.

[0059] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery cell base portion 130 may include a base non-melting portion 131 and a base melting portion 132. The base non-melting portion 131 may include a first base non-melting portion 131a contacting a bottom portion of the battery cell 110 and a second base non-melting portion 131b spaced apart from the battery cell 110. The plurality of first base non-melting portions 131a may respectively contact a bottom portion of each of the plurality of battery cells 110. The base melting portion 132 may be disposed between the first base non-melting portion 131a and the second base non-melting portion 131b.

[0060] The first seat non-melting portion 131a may have a shape corresponding to the bottom portion of the battery cell 110 to support the battery cell 110, and may be arranged at a position contacting the bottom portion of the battery cell 110. For example, the first seat non-melting portion 131a may be connected to the support pillar E to safely support the battery cell 110 on the battery cell receiving space portion S2.

[0061] The end portion (e.g., edge) of the first base non-melting portion 131a may be formed at an end point of the rounded corner R of the bottom portion of the battery cell 110. For example, the end portion of the first base non-melting portion 131a may be aligned with the end point of the rounded corner R of the bottom portion of the battery cell 110. If thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110, the coolant W in the lower space portion S1 may quickly enter the battery cell accommodating space portion S2 by flowing along the rounded corner R of the bottom portion of the battery cell 110.

[0062] The second base non-melting portion 131b may be disposed in a portion of the base non-melting portion 131 that does not contact the bottom portion of the battery cell 110. In a normal state where thermal runaway does not occur, the second base non-melting portion 131b together with the base melting portion 132 and the first base non-melting portion 131a may separate the lower space portion S1 and the battery cell receiving space portion S2 to prevent the coolant W in the lower space portion S1 from entering the battery cell receiving space portion S2.

[0063] like Figure 7, the base melting portion 132 may be arranged between the first base non-melting portion 131a and the second base non-melting portion 131b. The base melting portion 132 may be formed in a circumferential direction around the first base non-melting portion 131a formed in a shape corresponding to the bottom portion of the battery cell 110. The base melting portion 132 may be formed to extend along the periphery of the battery cell 110 adjacent to the battery cell 110, so that the base melting portion 132 may receive heat from thermal runaway, and at the same time may allow the coolant W to first contact the outer surface of the battery cell 110, which may have a higher temperature than other spaces of the battery pack 100.

[0064] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the battery cell 110 may have a short width t1 and a long width t2, and the base melting portion 132 may have a first melting portion width w1 and a second melting portion width w2, the first melting portion width w1 being the width of a portion of the base melting portion 132 corresponding to a short width side portion of the battery cell 110 placed on the base non-melting portion 131, and the second melting portion width w2 being the width of a portion of the base melting portion 132 corresponding to a long width side portion of the battery cell 110 placed on the base non-melting portion 131. The first melting portion width w1 and the second melting portion width w2 may be appropriately varied.

[0065] Depending on the battery cell 110 (e.g., depending on its specifications or characteristics), thermal runaway may exist in one of the short width side portion and the long width side portion. Therefore, a side portion where thermal runaway is more likely to occur (or a side portion where thermal runaway is more likely to exist) may be predetermined based on the internal structure of the battery cell 110, and the width of the melted portion of the side portion where more intense thermal runaway may occur may be wider than the width of the melted portion of the other side portion. Therefore, in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 110, the coolant may be filled more quickly at one of the short width side portion and the long width side portion where more intense thermal runaway occurs, thereby extinguishing any fire more quickly.

[0066] In the following, reference will be made to Fig. 9 Battery packs according to other embodiments of the present disclosure are described.

[0067] Fig. 9 yes Figure 4 FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of portion D in FIG. 4 , showing a battery pack according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0068] refer to Fig. 9 , in the base melting portion 132 ′, a height (or thickness) h1 of a portion adjacent to the first base non-melting portion 131 a may be smaller than a height (or thickness) h2 of a portion adjacent to the second base non-melting portion 131 b .

[0069] In the portion of the base melting portion 132, the height of the base melting portion 132 can be reduced toward the portion closer to the battery cell 110, so that in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 110, the portion of the base melting portion 132 adjacent to the battery cell 110 can be melted first, so that the coolant W is first introduced into the portion relatively close to the battery cell.

[0070] The present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but these are merely examples. It will be fully understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure should be limited by the attached claims and their equivalents.

[0071] The specific technical details described herein with reference to the embodiments are examples and do not limit the technical scope of the embodiments or the present disclosure.In order to briefly and clearly describe aspects and features of the present disclosure, descriptions of conventional general techniques and configurations may be omitted or only briefly described.

[0072] The connection of the lines or connecting members between the components shown in the drawings is an illustration of functional connection and / or physical or circuit connection, and in practice may be represented as alternative or additional various functional connections, physical connections or circuit connections. In addition, when there is no specific mention such as "substantial" or "important", it may not be an essential component for applying the present disclosure.

[0073] The indicators "a", "an" or similar indicators used in the specification and claims may refer to both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise specifically limited. In addition, when describing a range in the embodiments, the range includes individual values ​​falling within the range to which the present disclosure applies (unless otherwise stated), and is the same as the description of the individual values ​​constituting the range in the description of the present disclosure.

[0074] When there is no explicit description of the order of operations constituting the method according to the embodiment or description contrary thereto, the operations may be performed in an appropriate order.

[0075] However, the present disclosure is not limited to the described order of operations. All examples or exemplary terms (such as, etc.) used in the present disclosure are for simply describing the present disclosure in detail, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the examples or exemplary terms unless limited by the claims.

[0076] In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and changes may be made according to design conditions and factors within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0077] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery pack and a fire extinguishing method thereof may include a system in which a water cooling system and a fire extinguishing system are integrated. A base melting portion of a battery cell base portion may be formed to melt in the event of thermal runaway of a battery cell, and when the base melting portion melts due to thermal runaway of a battery cell, a battery cell accommodating space portion where the battery cell is located may be filled with a coolant from a lower space portion to immerse the battery cell and extinguish any fire in the battery pack 100.

[0078] By using the battery pack's water cooling system to perform the battery pack's fire extinguishing function in an emergency, the internal components of the battery pack can be kept compact and the number of components arranged inside the battery pack can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume and weight of the components and improving the energy density of the battery pack overall.

[0079] The aspects and features of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned aspects and features, and other aspects and features not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the detailed description and the description of the claims.

[0080] It should be understood that the embodiments described herein should be considered illustrative rather than for limiting purposes. The description of features or aspects within each embodiment should generally be considered applicable to other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. Although one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising: A battery housing contains a plurality of battery cells and has: A battery cell accommodating space portion, accommodating the plurality of battery cells; A lower space portion, below the battery cell accommodating space portion; as well as a battery cell seating portion between the lower space portion and the battery cell accommodating space portion and supporting the plurality of battery cells, The battery cell base portion comprises: a base melting portion configured to melt when heated to a reference temperature or higher by heat generated by an adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells; as well as The base non-melting portion is configured not to melt when heated to the reference temperature or higher by heat generated by the adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the base non-melting portion comprises: a plurality of first base non-melting portions, respectively contacting a bottom portion of each of the plurality of battery cells; as well as a second base non-melting portion spaced apart from each of the plurality of battery cells, Wherein the susceptor melting portion is arranged between the first susceptor non-melting portion and the second susceptor non-melting portion. 3 . The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the base melted portion adjacent to the first base non-melted portion is smaller than a thickness of a portion of the base melted portion adjacent to the second base non-melted portion. 4 . The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein an end portion of each of the first seat non-melted portions is respectively aligned with an end point of a rounded corner of the bottom portion of each of the plurality of battery cells.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the base melting portion has: a first melting portion width at a portion corresponding to a short width side portion of each of the plurality of battery cells on the base non-melting portion; and a second melting portion width at a portion corresponding to a long width side portion of each of the plurality of battery cells on the base non-melting portion, and The first melting portion width and the second melting portion width are variable.

6. A method for extinguishing a fire of a battery pack, the method comprising: a molten portion of the base adjacent to the battery cell experiencing thermal runaway melts in response to heat generated by the battery cell; and A coolant flows from a lower space portion located below the seat melting portion through an opening formed at a position where the seat melting portion was located into a battery cell receiving space portion receiving the battery cells to immerse the battery cells in the coolant.

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