Battery pack having improved fireproof performance

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cell module assembly including a cell stack in which a plurality of cells are stacked; a pack case for accommodating the cell module assembly in an internal space; and a fire extinguishing unit capable of extinguishing the battery cells by supplying a fire extinguishing agent into the pack case when a thermal event occurs in the battery cells. The pack case includes at least one discharge port on at least one of an edge in a length direction of a bottom surface of the pack case and an edge in a width direction of the bottom surface of the pack case.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2022-0179747, filed on December 20, 2022, and 10-2022-0179748, filed on December 20, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack configured to facilitate the discharge of moisture when it appears in the battery pack during normal times, and the like.

[0004] The present disclosure also relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack configured to retain a fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) in the battery pack for a longer period of time when a thermal event occurs, and the like. Background Art

[0005] Currently, commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have attracted attention because they have, for example, almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, and thus can be freely charged and discharged, and have a very low self-discharge rate and high energy density.

[0006] Lithium secondary batteries generally use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material, respectively. A lithium secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material, respectively, are arranged with a separator interposed therebetween; and an external material or a battery case that hermetically accommodates the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0007] According to the shape of the external material, generally, lithium secondary batteries can be divided into can-type secondary batteries and pouch-type batteries. In the can-type secondary batteries, the electrode assembly is introduced into a metal can, and in the pouch-type batteries, the electrode assembly is introduced into a pouch of an aluminum laminate.

[0008] Such secondary batteries are widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices but also in medium and large-sized devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS), and their usage frequency is increasing rapidly. In addition, recently, the trend of using home battery packs to store electricity is increasing. Summary of the Invention

[0009] [Technical Problem]

[0010] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery pack which is configured to facilitate the discharge of moisture when it appears in the battery pack during normal times.

[0011] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery pack which is configured to retain a fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) in the battery pack for a longer period of time when a thermal event occurs.

[0012] However, the technical problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand other problems not mentioned herein through the following description.

[0013] [Technical Solution]

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery pack, including: a single cell module assembly, the single cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a battery pack housing that houses the single cell module assembly in its internal space; and a fire extinguishing unit that can extinguish the battery cells by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the battery pack housing when a thermal event occurs in the battery cells, wherein the battery pack housing includes at least one discharge port on at least one of a longitudinal edge and a lateral edge of a bottom surface of the battery pack housing.

[0015] The battery pack may further include a thermal expansion member that is located in the discharge port and expands in volume at a specified temperature or higher to seal the discharge port.

[0016] The thermal expansion member is arranged to be spaced apart from an inner surface of the discharge port by a specified distance, and may further include a thermal expansion member coupling portion that is arranged across a cross section of the discharge port to fix the thermal expansion member.

[0017] At least one end of the thermal expansion member is provided with a groove, the thermal expansion member coupling portion is in a rod shape, and the thermal expansion member coupling portion may be fixedly coupled to the groove of the thermal expansion member.

[0018] The thermal expansion member coupling portion may be arranged on at least one of an inlet and an outlet of the discharge port.

[0019] The thermal expansion member may have a pin shape arranged along a path of the discharge port.

[0020] The thermal expansion member and the inner surface of the discharge port may be coaxially arranged.

[0021] The thermal expansion member may be at least partially surrounded by at least a portion of the inner surface of the discharge port while being in contact with at least a portion of the inner surface of the discharge port.

[0022] The thermal expansion member can be made of a polymeric material.

[0023] The thermal expansion member can be any one selected from the group consisting of PDMS (poly-dimethyl-siloxane), polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, butyl (meth)acrylate, hexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, and combinations thereof.

[0024] The thermal expansion member may include a gasket of a heat-resistant material located inside the thermal expansion member along the longitudinal direction of the thermal expansion member.

[0025] The fire extinguishing unit can be a fire extinguishing tank located above the monomer module assembly to cover the upper surface of the battery pack housing.

[0026] The fire extinguishing agent can be a liquid fire extinguishing agent.

[0027] The bottom surface of the discharge port can be lowered in height from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing.

[0028] The cross-section of the discharge port can have a tapered shape that increases in size from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing.

[0029] In the internal space of the battery pack housing, the bottom surface further includes a plurality of protruding surfaces protruding upward from the bottom surface and a first discharge passage between the plurality of protruding surfaces, and the plurality of protruding surfaces can be arranged in columns along at least one of the length direction and the width direction of the battery pack housing.

[0030] The protruding surface includes: a topmost surface located at the center of the protruding surface on which the monomer module assembly is placed; and an inclined surface radially formed around the topmost surface, wherein the height of the inclined surface can decrease from the topmost surface toward the edge of the protruding surface.

[0031] The topmost surface is formed in a circular plate shape, and the radially formed inclined surfaces can be arranged at equal angles with respect to the center of the protruding surface.

[0032] The first discharge passage can be arranged parallel to at least one of the longitudinal edge and the transverse edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing.

[0033] The height of the bottom surface of the discharge port can be equal to or lower than the height of the first discharge passage.

[0034] The internal space of the battery pack housing further includes a second discharge passage arranged at the longitudinal edge and the transverse edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing, and the height of the second discharge passage can be equal to or lower than the height of the first discharge passage.

[0035] The height of the bottom surface of the discharge port may be equal to or lower than the height of the second discharge passage.

[0036] The battery pack housing further includes a plate-shaped partition wall disposed across the battery pack housing. The internal space of the battery pack housing is divided into a receiving space for the single cell module assembly and a receiving space for the electrical connection unit based on the partition wall, and the plurality of protruding surfaces and the first discharge passage may be provided in at least one of the receiving space for the single cell module assembly and the receiving space for the electrical connection unit.

[0037] The battery pack further includes an auxiliary housing made of metal that initially houses the single cell module assembly. The single cell module assembly is housed in the auxiliary housing, where the auxiliary housing is disposed on the uppermost surface of the protruding surface of the battery pack housing, and the auxiliary housing may include at least one opening on the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing.

[0038] The opening may be provided at the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing or at the corner of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing.

[0039] The battery packs are provided in a plurality of numbers, and the plurality of battery packs may be mechanically or electrically connected to each other.

[0040] The plurality of battery packs may be stacked in the vertical direction.

[0041] The electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs may be connected in series so that the voltage band of the plurality of stacked battery packs can be achieved in various ways.

[0042] The electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs may be connected in parallel so that the storage capacity of the plurality of stacked battery packs can be achieved in various ways.

[0043] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, in order to achieve the above object, an energy storage system is provided, and the energy storage system includes one or more of the above battery packs according to the present disclosure.

[0044] [Advantageous Effects]

[0045] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack can be provided that ensures discharge performance and battery cell safety to prevent moisture from affecting the battery cells when moisture normally appears inside the battery pack due to condensation, snow, rain, etc.

[0046] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, when a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the single module assembly, the thermal expansion member is configured to expand in volume at a specified temperature or higher and seal the discharge port, so that when the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) is supplied to the inside of the battery pack housing, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) does not discharge to the outside of the battery pack housing through the discharge port. Thus, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) can be retained in the single module assembly 100 within the battery pack housing for a longer period of time. That is, the fire or thermal runaway of the single module assembly can be more stably suppressed.

[0047] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is no need to design a special waterproof and dustproof structure.

[0048] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, products with various voltage bands and / or storage capacities can be provided by stacking the same type of battery packs in multiple quantities.

[0049] In addition, some other additional effects can be achieved through various embodiments of the present disclosure. The various effects obtainable from the present disclosure will be described in detail in each embodiment, or the description of the effects that are easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are used together with the following description to provide a further understanding of the technical spirit of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the drawings.

[0051] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the structure of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 2 is schematically showing from Figure 1 the structure of discharging the fire extinguishing agent from the battery pack.

[0053] Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line A4 - A4' in Figure 3 therein.

[0055] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the structure of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 6 is including in Figure 5 the perspective view of the single module assembly in the battery pack.

[0057] Figure 7 is including inFigure 5 Perspective view of a blocking member in a battery pack.

[0058] Figure 8 is included in Figure 5 Perspective view of a battery pack housing in a battery pack.

[0059] Figure 9 and Figure 10 are diagrams showing Figure 8 a case where a single module assembly is accommodated in a battery pack housing.

[0060] Figure 11 is Figure 8 Top view of a battery pack housing.

[0061] Figure 12 and Figure 13 are partial enlarged views of a battery pack housing.

[0062] Figure 14 and Figure 15 each show an embodiment of a thermal expansion member.

[0063] Figure 16 is included in Figure 5 Perspective view of a fire extinguisher canister in a battery pack.

[0064] Figure 17 is Figure 16 Perspective sectional view of a fire extinguisher canister.

[0065] Figure 18 is a perspective view of a battery pack with all the constituent elements of the above-mentioned battery pack connected to each other with reference to Figures 5 to 17 ID=51.

[0066] Figure 19 is a perspective view schematically showing Figures 1 to 18 a battery pack.

[0067] Figure 20 and Figure 21 are diagrams showing Figure 19 embodiments in which battery pack housings shown in ID=64 are stacked in different numbers. Detailed Description

[0068] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms and words used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but rather should be interpreted as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure based on the concept that the inventor can appropriately define the terms and words in order to best describe his / her own invention.

[0069] Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are merely preferred examples for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other equivalences and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0070] For the sake of clarity, descriptions of parts irrelevant to the description will be omitted, and the same reference numerals denote the same or similar elements throughout the description.

[0071] In addition, in the drawings, for ease of description, the dimensions and thicknesses of each element are arbitrarily shown, and the present invention need not be limited to those shown in the drawings. In the drawings, for clarity, the thicknesses of layers, regions, etc. are exaggerated. In the drawings, for ease of description, the thicknesses of parts and regions are exaggerated.

[0072] In addition, it should 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 that other element or there can also be an intermediate element. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element", this means that there are no other intermediate elements. In addition, a specific part located "above" or "on" a reference part means that the specific part is located above or below the reference part, and does not particularly mean that the specific part is "above" or "on" in the direction opposite to gravity.

[0073] In addition, throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as "including" or "comprising" a certain component, this means that the part may also include other components without excluding other components, unless otherwise specified.

[0074] In addition, throughout the specification, when it is referred to as "planar", this means when observing the target part from the upper side, and when it is referred to as "cross-section", this means when observing the target part from one side of a vertically cut cross-section.

[0075] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the structure of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] Reference Figure 1 , the battery pack according to the present disclosure includes a single cell module assembly 100, a battery pack housing 300, and a fire extinguisher can 400.

[0077] The single cell module assembly 100 may include one or more battery cells 110. Here, each battery cell 110 may represent a secondary battery. The secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery housing. In particular, the battery cells 110 provided in the single cell module assembly 100 may be pouch-type secondary batteries. However, other forms of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries or prismatic batteries, may also be employed in the single cell module assembly 100 of the present disclosure.

[0078] A plurality of secondary batteries may form a single module assembly 100 in a stacked shape with each other. That is, a battery cell stack may form the single module assembly 100. For example, the plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in such a manner that they are arranged in the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction in the figure) while standing upright in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction in the figure). Each battery cell 110 may be provided with electrode leads, where the electrode leads may be located at both ends, or may be located at one end of each battery cell 110. A secondary battery in which the electrode leads protrude in two directions may be referred to as a bidirectional cell, and a secondary battery in which the electrode leads protrude in one direction may be referred to as a unidirectional cell. In Figure 1 FIG., a bidirectional cell is shown. However, the present disclosure is not limited to a specific type or form of secondary battery, and various forms of secondary batteries known at the time of filing this application may be used for the single module assembly 100 of the present disclosure.

[0079] The battery pack housing 300 may be configured to have an empty space formed therein and accommodate the single module assembly 100 in the internal space. For example, the battery pack housing 300 may be configured in a box shape as shown in Figure 1 FIG. The box-shaped battery pack housing 300 may be integrally molded, or may be made by joining at least one surface to an adjacent surface.

[0080] The fire extinguishing tank 400 may hold a fire extinguishing agent. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 includes an internal space and may hold the fire extinguishing agent in the internal space. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may include a lower tank 410 and an upper cover 420, as shown in Figure 1 FIG. Here, the lower tank 410 is configured in the form of a box having an open upper portion, and may provide a space that can hold the fire extinguishing agent. In addition, the upper cover 420 may be configured to cover the upper opening of the lower tank 410 and seal the fire extinguishing agent holding space of the lower tank 410.

[0081] The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be accommodated inside the battery pack housing 300. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be disposed above the single module assembly 100 in the internal space of the battery pack housing 300.

[0082] According to such an embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located above the single module assembly 100, so that a thermal event of the single module assembly 100 can be more easily controlled. In particular, the fire extinguishing agent discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 can easily move downward by gravity. Therefore, it is possible to more easily perform heat or fire suppression of the single module assembly 100 using the fire extinguishing agent.

[0083] In particular, when the single-module assembly 100 is provided with a plurality of battery cells 110 arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, that is, in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), as Figure 1 shown, if the fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the upper part, the fire extinguishing agent can be easily supplied to all the battery cells 110. Therefore, according to such an embodiment configuration, the suppression of thermal events in the entire single-module assembly 100 can be performed more effectively.

[0084] The fire extinguishing tank 400 can be configured to discharge the fire extinguishing agent toward the single-module assembly 100 when heat is applied to the single-module assembly 100. This will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2 below.

[0085] Figure 2 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of discharging the fire extinguishing agent from the Figure 1 battery pack.

[0086] Referring to Figure 2 , the fire extinguishing tank 400 is located at the upper part of the single-module assembly 100. A thermal event (such as overheating, catching fire, or thermal runaway) may occur in a specific battery cell 110, such as the part indicated by A1 in a plurality of battery modules stacked in the left-right direction (for example, the X-axis direction in the figure). In this case, the heat generated in the corresponding battery cell 110 can be applied to the fire extinguishing tank 400, such as the part indicated by A2 in Figure 2 . Then, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400, as shown by the arrow A3.

[0087] In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be configured to be at least partially melted by the heat applied from the single-module assembly 100. For example, in the Figure 2 configuration, the part of the fire extinguishing tank 400 indicated by A2 can be melted by heat. Then, through the melted part in this way, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged, as shown by the arrow A3.

[0088] For this purpose, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be made of a material that can be at least partially melted by the heat applied from the single-module assembly 100. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be entirely made of a plastic material. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be configured in the form of a plastic injection material.

[0089] In addition, the fire extinguishing can 400 can be configured to be melted by the exhaust gas or heat ejected from the battery cell 110. For example, when a thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110 and exhaust gas is ejected, the exhaust gas can be in a high-temperature state at a specific temperature or higher. The fire extinguishing can 400 can be made of a material and / or form that can be melted by the high-temperature exhaust gas. Alternatively, when a thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110, even if no exhaust gas is ejected, the temperature of the battery cell 110 may be higher than the normal state. The fire extinguishing can 400 can be made of a material and / or form that can be melted by the heat applied from the battery cell 110 in such an abnormally high-temperature state.

[0090] In particular, the fire extinguishing can 400 can be configured such that the substrate 411 is melted by the high-temperature heat and / or gas generated in the event of the battery cell 110. In this case, the fire extinguishing agent can flow into the bottom melting section of the fire extinguishing can 400 and be discharged downward. Therefore, the fire extinguishing agent can be quickly injected into the cell module assembly 100.

[0091] Constructed according to such an embodiment of the present disclosure, the fire extinguishing agent is injected in a manner that the injection material is melted, thereby effectively suppressing a thermal event inside the battery pack and also minimizing the propagation of the thermal event between the battery cells 110.

[0092] The fire extinguishing can 400 can hold a liquid fire extinguishing agent. In this case, the fire extinguishing agent can be referred to as a fire extinguishing liquid. For example, the fire extinguishing can 400 can hold water or other cooling liquids as the fire extinguishing agent. In addition, the fire extinguishing can 400 can hold an antifreeze as the fire extinguishing agent. In particular, when the battery pack is used in a low-temperature season such as winter or a low-temperature region such as the polar region, the fire extinguishing can 400 can hold an antifreeze as the fire extinguishing agent, and the antifreeze is not easily frozen even at low temperatures. In addition, in the case of a household battery pack, since it may be located outdoors, an antifreeze can be provided as the fire extinguishing agent.

[0093] The fire extinguishing can 400 can be configured such that the thickness of the substrate 411 varies according to its position. This will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 More specifically.

[0094] Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. However, in Figure 3 For ease of explanation, some components are shown transparently. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A4 - A4' in Figure 3 Regarding various embodiments included in this specification, including this embodiment, detailed descriptions of parts that can be applied in the same or similar manner as those described in other embodiments will be omitted, and parts with differences will be mainly described.

[0095] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may include a substrate 411 and a side wall 412. Here, the side wall 412 may be configured to protrude upward from the edge of the substrate 411. Further, the lower and side portions of the fire extinguishing tank 400 are defined by the substrate 411 and the side wall 412, thereby forming a space capable of holding the fire extinguishing agent. At this time, the upper portion of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be sealed by the battery pack housing 300. That is, as Figure 4 shown, the battery pack housing 300 includes a lower housing 300a and an upper housing 300b, and the upper portion of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is covered by the upper housing 300b so that the fire extinguishing agent can be held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400. Alternatively, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to include an upper cover 420 to seal the upper portion of the fire extinguishing agent holding space, as Figure 1 shown.

[0096] In this way, in the configuration of the fire extinguishing tank 400 provided with the substrate 411, the substrate 411 may be formed to have different thicknesses for each part. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to have a thin thickness in a specific part such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 the part indicated by 411a. For example, the substrate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is integrally configured in the form of a plastic injection material with a thickness of 1 mm, and the part indicated by 411a may be configured to have a thickness of 0.5 mm.

[0097] In particular, the thin formed part of the substrate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be used as the fragile part 411a. That is, when the temperature in the single module assembly 100 rises, such a fragile part 411a may be damaged first. In addition, if the fragile part 411a is damaged, the fire extinguishing agent held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be discharged toward the single module assembly 100 through the fragile part 411a.

[0098] The fragile parts 411a may be provided in a plurality of numbers. For example, the fragile part 411a may have a shape with a narrow width and a long length. That is, it may have a linear shape and may be arranged parallel to one edge of the fire extinguishing tank 400, and the fragile parts 411a may be arranged parallel to each other.

[0099] According to the configuration of the above embodiment, if exhaust gas, fire, etc. occur due to thermal runaway on the single module assembly 100 side, there is no need to separately provide a structure for injecting a fire extinguishing agent such as cooling water. Therefore, the configuration of injecting the fire extinguishing agent inside the battery pack can be realized with a simple structure. In addition, in this configuration, when an event occurs, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged through the fragile part 411a formed with a thin thickness, and thus, the part where the fire extinguishing agent is discharged can be specified in advance.

[0100] In the above-described embodiment configuration, as Figure 4 shown, a plurality of vulnerable portions 411a may be provided in a fire extinguishing tank 400. Further, the plurality of vulnerable portions 411a may be arranged on a substrate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 while being spaced apart by a predetermined distance along the stacking direction of the single module assembly 100. For example, in the single module assembly 100, a plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), and in the substrate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the upper part of the single module assembly 100, a plurality of vulnerable portions may also be arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0101] In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured such that the vulnerable portion 411a having a relatively thin thickness is located in the central portion between the battery cells stacked in the horizontal direction.

[0102] For example, in Figure 4 the configuration of, B1 and B2, which are two battery cells 110, are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction in the left portion of the single module assembly 100. At this time, the leftmost vulnerable portion 411a among the plurality of vulnerable portions 411a may be arranged between B1 and B2 in the left-right direction. That is, the vulnerable portion 411a may be located above B1 and B2 in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction), but may be located between B1 and B2 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction). Further, the battery cells 110 other than B1 and B2 may also be configured such that one vulnerable portion 411a is located in the space between the corresponding two adjacent battery cells 110 in the horizontal direction.

[0103] According to such an embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell 110 and heat is applied to the vulnerable portion 411a located at the upper part, the vulnerable portion 411a may be damaged. Moreover, the fire extinguishing agent is discharged through the damaged vulnerable portion 411a, and the fire extinguishing agent may flow into the space between the adjacent battery cells 110, as Figure 4 indicated by the arrows in.

[0104] Therefore, according to such an embodiment configuration, the transmission of thermal events between the battery cells 110 can be more effectively prevented. Further, according to the embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the fire extinguishing agent can be concentratedly injected around the battery cell 110 in which a thermal event such as overheating or ignition has occurred, so that more effective cooling and fire extinguishing operations can be performed. Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment configuration, when a fire occurs inside the battery or the like, the fire extinguishing agent can be injected at the right time and in the right place without any other components except the fire extinguishing tank 400.

[0105] Figure 5is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] Referring Figure 5 , the battery pack includes a single cell module assembly 100, a blocking member 200, a battery pack housing 300, a fire extinguishing tank 400, an outer cover 500, and an electrical connection unit 600.

[0107] Also in Figure 5 , the single cell module assembly 100 may be configured such that a plurality of battery cells 110 (see Figure 1 ) are stacked in a shape arranged along the horizontal direction (e.g., the X-axis direction in the figure) while standing upright in the vertical direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction in the figure). At this time, the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 is, for example, the Y-axis direction in the figure. For ease of understanding, the illustration of the battery cell 110 is omitted in Figure 5 . When the battery cell 110 is, for example, a pouch-type battery cell or a prismatic battery cell, the battery cell 110 is arranged side by side (parallel) with the blocking member 200.

[0108] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the single cell module assembly 100 included in the Figure 5 battery pack.

[0109] For reference, in order to more clearly show the components included in the single cell module assembly 100, Figure 6 the remaining components other than the plurality of battery cells 110 are shown. The plurality of battery cells 110 may be ordinary pouch-type battery cells or prismatic battery cells.

[0110] Referring Figure 6 , a pair of bus bar housings 130 are arranged on the front surface and the rear surface of the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110. Each of the bus bar housings 130 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (e.g., the X-axis direction in the figure).

[0111] A pair of end plates 120 are respectively provided at both side ends of the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110. The end plates 120 are arranged parallel to the battery cells 110. A pair of end plates 120 are respectively connected to a pair of bus bar housings 130.

[0112] Each of the upper side and the lower side between the pair of end plates 120 may include at least one strip 140 connected between the pair of end plates 120. The strip 140 strengthens the bonding of the single cell module assembly 100. More specifically, it strengthens the bonding between the pair of end plates 120 and the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110 arranged therebetween. Thus, the alignment of the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110 can be prevented from being disturbed.

[0113] In addition, since the description of the single module component 100 overlaps with the description in Figure 1 as described above, reference is made to those described above regarding Figure 1 the description.

[0114] Meanwhile, as shown in Figure 5 , a plurality of battery cells 110 can be grouped into a predetermined number and accommodated. In addition, as shown in Figures 5 to 7 , the blocking member 200 is disposed between a group of a plurality of battery cells 110 (predetermined number) and an adjacent group of a plurality of battery cells 110 (predetermined number).

[0115] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the blocking member 200 included in the battery pack of Figure 5 . The blocking member 200 can be configured to be interposed between adjacent battery cells 110 to block heat. For example, when a thermal event occurs in some of the battery cells 110 and heat or high-temperature exhaust gas is generated, the generated heat or gas can be suppressed or blocked by the blocking member 200 and not transmitted to the adjacent battery cells 110. In addition, the blocking member 200 can function to block flames or sparks emitted from a specific battery cell 110.

[0116] The blocking member 200 has a generally plate-like shape. The blocking member 200 can be configured in a plate shape that stands upright in the vertical direction. In addition, the height of the blocking member 200 can be the same as or similar to the height of the battery cell 110 that stands upright in the vertical direction. The height of the blocking member 200 can be less than or greater than the height of the battery cell 110.

[0117] Depending on the number of battery cells, a plurality of blocking members 200 can be included. Moreover, as described above, the blocking member 200 can be stacked with the battery cells 110 to form the single module component 100.

[0118] Constructed according to such an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells 110, the blocking member 200 can effectively prevent the spread of thermal runaway between the battery cells.

[0119] In addition, the blocking member 200 can mainly have a three-layer structure. For example, a pair of inflatable pads 220 are respectively disposed on two surfaces of the support plate 210. The support plate 210 maintains the shape and rigidity of the blocking member 200 and blocks the propagation of flames or sparks emitted from the battery cells 110 between the battery cells 110. The support plate 210 can be made of, for example, a metal material. The inflatable pad 220 reduces the pressure applied to the battery cells 110 by the support plate 210 when the battery cells 110 inflate. The inflatable pad 220 can be made of, for example, a silicone resin or a soft plastic material.

[0120] On the other hand, the support plate 210 includes a plurality of through holes 230 formed by penetrating the support plate 210 in the vertical direction, and the plurality of through holes 230 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the support plate 210.

[0121] When the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) is injected into the monomer module assembly 100 from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located above the monomer module assembly 100, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) also enters the plurality of through holes 230. That is, since the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) remains in the plurality of through holes 230, the battery cells 110 in which a thermal event has occurred can be cooled and extinguished more effectively.

[0122] The plurality of through holes 230 may be configured to be open on both the upper surface and the lower surface of the support plate 210. Alternatively, the plurality of through holes 230 may have a shape in which only the upper surface is open and the lower surface is closed, so that the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) can remain in the through holes 230 for a longer period of time. In the former case, if the support plate 210 of the blocking member 200 is arranged in close contact with the inner lower surface of the battery pack housing 300, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) can remain in the through holes 230 for as long as in the latter case.

[0123] Figure 8 is included in Figure 5 a perspective view of the battery pack housing 300 in the battery pack. Figure 9 and Figure 10 is a view showing Figure 8 the case where the monomer module assembly 100 is accommodated in the battery pack housing.

[0124] Referring to Figure 8 , the battery pack housing 300 may be configured in a box shape. The box-shaped battery pack housing 300 may be integrally molded or may be manufactured in such a way that at least one surface is joined to an adjacent surface.

[0125] The battery pack housing 300 includes at least one exhaust port 320. A filter is installed in the exhaust port 320.

[0126] When a thermal event occurs in the battery cells 110 accommodated inside the battery pack housing 300, the exhaust gas generated from the battery cells 110 can be discharged through the exhaust port 320. The exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port 320 can pass through the space between the battery pack housing 300 and the outer cover 500 (see Figure 5 ), and then be discharged to the outside of the outer cover 500.

[0127] In addition, the internal space of the battery pack housing 300 mainly includes two accommodation spaces based on the partition wall 380. One accommodation space is the space S1 for accommodating the single module assembly 100, and the other accommodation space is the space S2 for accommodating the electrical connection unit including the connector 610.

[0128] The space S2 on the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 includes a connector through-hole portion 370 into which the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the lower layer can be inserted for electrical connection between the battery packs stacked one above the other, as will be described later. Thus, the connector 610 of the corresponding battery pack and the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the lower layer are connected to each other. Similarly, the connector 610 of the battery pack is connected to the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the upper layer in the same manner.

[0129] Meanwhile, as Figure 9 and Figure 10 shown, Figure 6 the single module assembly 100 shown can be accommodated in the internal space of the auxiliary housing 310 and then mounted on the battery pack housing 300. The single module assembly 100 is initially accommodated in the internal space of the auxiliary housing 310 and then finally accommodated in the battery pack housing 300, thereby supplementing the rigidity of the single module assembly 100 and preventing the alignment of the stacks of the plurality of battery cells 110 at the single module assembly 100 from being disturbed. As an example, the auxiliary housing 310 can be made of metal, stainless steel, etc.

[0130] Next, the discharge structure of the battery pack during normal times according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0131] Figure 11 is Figure 8 a top view of the battery pack housing 300. Figure 12 and Figure 13 are partial enlarged views of the battery pack housing 300. For reference, Figures 11 to 13 is shown without Figure 9 and Figure 10 the auxiliary housing 310 shown.

[0132] First, due to condensation, condensed water may appear in the internal space of the battery pack housing 300. In some cases, moisture caused by snow or rain may flow into the interior of the battery pack housing 300, turn into water upon condensation, and exist in the internal space of the battery pack housing 300. If the water in the internal space of the battery pack housing 300 accumulates on the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 due to gravity, it may affect the performance of the battery cells or the electrical connection unit 600 accommodated inside the battery pack housing 300. To prevent these problems, the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has a structure capable of easily discharging moisture (humidity, water, etc.) that may exist inside the battery pack housing 300 during normal times. Embodiments of the present disclosure include the following components related to the discharge structure.

[0133] As Figure 11 shown, the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 includes a plurality of protruding surfaces 330. The protruding surfaces 330 are arranged in columns along at least one of the length direction and the width direction of the battery pack housing 300. Figure 12 The protruding surface 330 is shown in an enlarged scale. The plurality of protruding surfaces 330 have a shape protruding upward from the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300. That is, the protruding surfaces 330 of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 are higher than other portions of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300. The first discharge passage 340 is arranged between the plurality of protruding surfaces 330. The height of the first discharge passage 340 is equal to or lower than the edge of the protruding surface 300. The height of the first discharge passage 340 may decrease from the center of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 toward its edge. Alternatively, the height of the first discharge passage 340 may be flat as a whole.

[0134] In addition, the second discharge passage 340 may also be arranged along the edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction in the figure) and / or along the edge in the width direction (e.g., the X-axis direction in the figure). The first discharge passage 340 and the second discharge passage 340 are connected to each other. The height of the first discharge passage 340 is equal to or higher than the height of the second discharge passage 340. In addition, the height of the bottom surface of the discharge port 360, which will be described later, is the same as or lower than the height of each of the first discharge passage 340 and the second discharge passage 340. The discharge port 360 may have, for example, a tapered shape (a conical shape with the top cut off or a square pyramid shape).

[0135] Water in the internal space of the battery pack housing 300 flows into the first discharge passage 340 along the protruding surface 330 of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300, and then is discharged to the outside through the discharge port 360 disposed at the edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300. Alternatively, the water flowing into the first discharge passage 340 moves along the second discharge passage 340 and is discharged to the outside through the discharge port 360.

[0136] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the protruding surface 330 includes an uppermost surface 331 located at the center of the protruding surface 330 and inclined surfaces 332 radially formed around the uppermost surface 331. The single module assembly 100 is disposed on the uppermost surface 331. The single module assembly 100 may be disposed in direct contact with the uppermost surface 331. At the same time, when the single module assembly 100 is accommodated in the auxiliary housing 310 described later, the auxiliary housing 310 accommodating the single module assembly 100 may be disposed in direct contact with the uppermost surface 331. The uppermost surface 331 may be circular, as shown in the figure. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any shape on which the single module assembly 100 can be disposed and supported is sufficient.

[0137] As Figure 13 shown in the cross-section taken along line A6 - A6', the height of the inclined surface 332 decreases from the uppermost surface 331 to the edge of the protruding surface 330. The inclined surface 332 is radially formed based on the center of the protruding surface 330 (e.g., the uppermost surface 331). It may be radially formed based on the center of each protruding surface 330 and arranged at equal angles.

[0138] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of protruding surfaces 330 are provided. The plurality of protruding surfaces 330 are respectively arranged in columns along the length direction and the width direction of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300. They are arranged in a so-called grid shape (checkerboard shape). The first discharge passage 340 disposed between the protruding surfaces 330 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal edge and / or the transverse edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300.

[0139] In addition, the edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300 includes at least one discharge port 360. That is, the battery pack housing 300 may include one discharge port 360. Alternatively, the battery pack housing 300 may include a plurality of discharge ports 360, and the plurality of discharge ports 360 are arranged in columns, or are respectively arranged on all four sides of the front, rear, left, and right of the battery pack housing 300. The position and number of the discharge ports 360 may be modified and changed to match various environments for implementing the present disclosure.

[0140] Figure 13Shows an enlarged cross-section of the discharge port 360 when the battery pack housing 300 is viewed from the front. The cross-sectional size of the discharge port 360 increases from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing 300. For example, if the discharge port 360 has a frustoconical shape (i.e., a truncated conical shape) with its upper surface cut off, the inner diameter of the cross-section of the discharge port 360 increases from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing 300. At this time, the bottom surface of the discharge port 360 is inclined from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing 300, and its height decreases. Thus, the water inside the battery pack housing 300 can be smoothly discharged to the outside through the discharge port 360.

[0141] Meanwhile, referring again to Figure 9 and Figure 10 , in order to protect the battery cells and facilitate accommodation, the cell module assembly 100 can be accommodated in the auxiliary housing 310 and then, together with the auxiliary housing 310, be accommodated again in the battery pack housing 300. At this time, the auxiliary housing 310 also includes at least one opening 310a located on the bottom surface and / or the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310. Figure 10 Shows a case where the opening 310a is provided at the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310. More specifically, the opening 310a can be provided in the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310, can be arranged along the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310, or can be arranged at the corner of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310. If water is also generated inside the auxiliary housing 310, the water is discharged to the outside of the auxiliary housing 310 through the opening 310a. The water discharged to the outside of the auxiliary housing 310 flows through the protruding surface 330 and / or the first discharge passage 340 and / or the second discharge passage 350 of the battery pack housing 300 as described above, and then is discharged to the outside of the battery pack through the discharge port 360.

[0142] In addition, the shape of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310 can be flat, as shown in Figure 8 and Figure 9 . However, the present disclosure is not limited to those shown, and various modifications and changes are possible. For example, the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing 310 can also include components having the same shape and structure as the protruding surface 330 and / or the first discharge passage 340 and / or the second discharge passage 350, similar to the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 300.

[0143] Next, how the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure seals the discharge port during a thermal event to improve fire extinguishing performance will be described.

[0144] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a thermal expansion member 360a is provided in the discharge port 360 of the battery pack housing 300. Figure 14 and Figure 15 Each shows an embodiment of the thermal expansion member 360a.Figure 14 It shows a situation where the thermal expansion member 360a is arranged to contact the whole or a part of the inner surface of the discharge port 360. Figure 15 It shows a situation where the thermal expansion member 360a is arranged at a specified distance from the inner surface of the discharge port 360.

[0145] Figure 14 It shows a situation where the thermal expansion member 360a is arranged to contact the whole or a part of the inner surface of the discharge port 360. The thermal expansion member 360a can surround the whole of the inner surface of the discharge port 360. Alternatively, the thermal expansion member 360a can be arranged on a part of the inner surface of the discharge port 360. In the latter case, for example, the thermal expansion member 360a can be arranged only in a part of the discharge port 360 in the longitudinal direction, but the thermal expansion member 360a can be arranged entirely along the periphery of the vertical section of the discharge port 360. That is, as will be described later, if a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the single module assembly 100, it is sufficient that the thermal expansion member 360a can effectively seal the discharge port 360.

[0146] Figure 15 It shows a situation where the thermal expansion member 360a is arranged at a specified distance from the inner surface of the discharge port 360. In this case, a thermal expansion member connection part 360b across the section of the discharge port 360 is also provided. In Figure 15 it, when viewed from the inlet side of the discharge port 360, the discharge port 360 and the thermal expansion member connection part 360b across the discharge port 360 are shown in section.

[0147] For example, at least one end of the thermal expansion member 360a can be provided with a groove, and the thermal expansion member connection part 360b can have a rod shape. The thermal expansion member 360a can be arranged at a specified distance from the inner surface of the discharge port 360 such that the thermal expansion member connection part 360b is fixedly connected to the groove of the thermal expansion member 360a. When viewed in section of the discharge port 360, for example, the inner surface of the discharge port 360 and the thermal expansion member 360a can be coaxially arranged.

[0148] Meanwhile, as an example, the thermal expansion member 360a can have a pin shape arranged along the path of the discharge port 360. Figure 15 It shows a situation where the thermal expansion member 360a is exemplarily formed into a pin shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and if a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the single module assembly 100, it is sufficient that the thermal expansion member 360a has a structure or shape capable of effectively sealing the discharge port 360.

[0149] In addition, Figure 15Illustrated is a case where the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b is provided at the inlet of the discharge port 360 (inside the battery pack housing 300), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b may be provided in the path of the discharge port 360, or may be provided at the outlet of the discharge port 360 (outside the battery pack housing 300). That is, the shape, position, and structure of the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b are sufficient as long as they allow the thermal expansion member 360a to be positioned in the discharge port 360 without the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b blocking the discharge port 360.

[0150] The thermal expansion member 360a is configured to expand in volume at a predetermined temperature or higher to seal the discharge port 360. If a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the single module assembly 100, the thermal expansion member 360a expands in volume due to the high-temperature gas, and the thermally expanded thermal expansion member 360a can seal the discharge port 360. When a fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) is supplied from a fire extinguishing unit (e.g., a fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the upper part of the single module assembly 100) to the inside of the battery pack housing 300, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) does not discharge to the outside of the battery pack housing 300 through the discharge port 360 due to the thermal expansion member 360a that seals the discharge port 360. Thus, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) can be retained in the single module assembly 100 inside the battery pack housing 300 for a longer period of time. That is, the fire or thermal runaway of the single module assembly 100 can be more stably suppressed.

[0151] Meanwhile, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described fire extinguishing tank 400, and any fire extinguishing unit capable of supplying a fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) to the inside of the battery pack housing 300 may be applied. For example, it is possible that the fire extinguishing unit is located outside the battery pack housing 300 and supplies a fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) to the inside of the battery pack housing 300 through a pipe connected to the fire extinguishing unit. Alternatively, for example, a cooling plate structure located at the upper or lower part of the battery pack housing 300 may be used to supply a fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) into the battery pack housing 300 during a thermal event. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described fire extinguishing unit, and can be applied through various variations and modifications to match the environment in which the present disclosure is implemented.

[0152] For this purpose, the thermal expansion member 360a may include various thermal expansion materials known at the time of filing the present application. For example, the thermal expansion member 360a may be a polymer material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. Polymer materials such as PDMS (poly-dimethyl-siloxane), polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, butyl (meth)acrylate, hexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, and combinations thereof can be used to achieve thermal expansion.

[0153] In addition, the thermal expansion member 360a may further include a heat-resistant material. For example, the thermal expansion member 360a may be configured such that its outer surface is coated with a heat-resistant material, such as ceramics. Alternatively, a gasket made of a heat-resistant material such as ceramics may be disposed inside the thermal expansion member 360a along the longitudinal direction of the thermal expansion member 360a. For example, the thermal expansion member 360a surrounds the gasket made of a heat-resistant material. Thus, it can be configured not to be damaged even if its volume expands due to the heat of the exhaust gas.

[0154] The thermal expansion of the thermal expansion member 360a can be appropriately set according to the type or coefficient of thermal expansion of the thermal expansion material included in the thermal expansion member 360a. Moreover, the degree of thermal expansion of the thermal expansion member 360a can be appropriately set by the user according to various conditions, such as the size or shape of the thermal expansion member 360a or the discharge port 360 and the type of the battery cell.

[0155] Figure 16 is included in Figure 5 a perspective view of the fire extinguishing can 400 in the battery pack. Figure 17 is Figure 16 a perspective sectional view of the fire extinguishing can 400 and shows a section taken along the line A5 - A5’ of Figure 5 the fire extinguishing can 400.

[0156] As described above in Figure 1 the fire extinguishing can 400 includes a lower can 410 and an upper lid 420. The lower can 410 and the upper lid 420 may be separately manufactured and hermetically bonded together, or may be integrally manufactured. The upper lid 420 may further include an injection port 430 capable of injecting a fire extinguishing agent. The injection port 430 may be closed with a plug to seal the fire extinguishing can 400.

[0157] A portion thinly formed in the substrate 411 of the lower can 410 may be used as a fragile portion 411a. That is, when a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 110 of the monomer module assembly 100, the fragile portion 411a having a relatively thin thickness may be damaged first. When the fragile portion 411a is damaged and an opening is formed in the substrate 411, the fire extinguishing agent held inside the fire extinguishing can 400 may be discharged to the monomer module assembly 100 side through the fragile portion 411a.

[0158] The fragile portions 411a may be provided in a plurality of numbers. For example, the fragile portion 411a may have a shape with a narrow width and a long length. That is, the fragile portion may have a linear shape and may have a straight shape arranged parallel to one edge of the fire extinguishing can 400, and each fragile portion 411a may be arranged parallel to each other.

[0159] Meanwhile, according to this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (e.g., the X-axis direction in the figure) and the longitudinal direction of the vulnerable part 411a (e.g., the X-axis direction in the figure) can be orthogonal to each other. That is, a plurality of vulnerable parts 411a are arranged to intersect the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110. Therefore, the fire extinguishing agent can be supplied all together along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 where a thermal event has occurred through the plurality of opened vulnerable parts 411a of the battery cell 110, and the battery cell 110 where a thermal event has occurred can be extinguished more efficiently and quickly.

[0160] The lower surface of the substrate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the upper surface of the monomer module assembly 100 have substantially matching shapes with each other. Therefore, since the fire extinguishing tank 400 is arranged to be in closer contact with the monomer module assembly 100, the battery cell 110 whose temperature has risen can be cooled more effectively, and the fire extinguishing agent can be injected more quickly into the battery cell 110 where overheating or ignition has occurred. In addition, more fire extinguishing agent can be efficiently accommodated in the fire extinguishing tank 400. That is, if the height of the substrate 411 of the lower tank 410 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is overall constant, the fire extinguishing tank 400 accommodates less fire extinguishing agent due to the corresponding empty space.

[0161] The fire extinguishing agent provided in the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be, for example, in the form of a fire extinguishing liquid. Redundant descriptions will be omitted, and reference will be made to those described above.

[0162] Figure 18 is reference Figures 5 to 17 Perspective view of the battery pack in which all the constituent elements of the above battery pack are coupled to each other.

[0163] In addition, regarding Figures 5 to 18 the description of the battery pack in Figures 1 to 4 and the overlapping part of the description of the battery pack in Figures 1 to 4 reference those described above with reference to

[0164] Meanwhile, the battery pack housing 300 can be provided in a plurality of numbers and is configured to be stacked in the vertical direction. This will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 19 to 21 more details.

[0165] Figure 19 is a perspective view schematically showing at least a part of the configuration of the battery pack according to the present disclosure. In addition, Figures 1 to 18 and Figure 20 and Figure 21 are diagrams showing an embodiment in which the battery pack housings 300 shown in Figure 19 are stacked in a plurality of numbers. For ease of understanding, Figures 19 to 21 the battery pack is schematically shown. Regarding the detailed configuration of the battery pack, reference is made to the above in Figures 1 to 18Details described in

[0166] Reference Figure 19 , the battery pack housing 300 may include a bottom portion and a side wall portion. The single module assembly 100 may be accommodated in the internal space of the battery pack housing 300, and the upper surface of the single module assembly 100 may be covered by the fire extinguishing tank 400, thereby constituting a battery pack. As a reference, in Figure 19 , it is shown that the height of the upper side of the battery pack housing 300 is greater than the height of the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400. However, Figure 19 is a schematic diagram and is only an example, and the present disclosure is not limited to Figure 19 those shown. That is, on the contrary, the height of the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be greater than the height of the upper side of the battery pack housing 300, and the height of the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the height of the upper side of the battery pack housing 300 may be equal. Therefore, various modifications are possible.

[0167] As Figure 19 shown, the battery pack housing 300 may be provided in a plurality of numbers to form a stacked structure of the battery pack as shown in Figure 20 or Figure 21 shown. At this time, Figure 19 the battery pack in Figure 20 or Figure 21 shown may be a single unit battery pack. Moreover, such unit battery packs are provided in a plurality of numbers so that the entire battery pack can be constructed in a module stacking manner, as shown in

[0168] More specifically, for example, Figure 20 the structure of Figure 21 shows three unit battery packs D stacked in the vertical direction. Moreover,

[0169] the structure of Figure 20 shows five unit battery packs D stacked in the vertical direction. The present disclosure is not limited to those shown, and the number of unit battery packs D can be differently changed to match the environment in which the present disclosure is implemented.

[0169] For example, if the present disclosure is implemented as an energy storage system (ESS) through a battery pack, the number of unit battery packs can be adjusted so that various voltage bands and / or storage capacities of the energy storage device can be achieved to match the relevant environment. According to such an embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, by stacking one unit battery pack having a common structure in various ways, depending on the stacking number, it can conform to products having various voltage bands and / or storage capacities. For example, by adjusting the stacking number of the same unit battery pack, a low voltage band product as shown in Figure 20 and a product as shown in Figure 21The high-voltage belt products shown. Therefore, compared with products limited to specifications of a specific voltage band, economic efficiency and compatibility can be improved. In addition, constructed according to such an embodiment, products with various capacities can also be realized according to the number of stacks.

[0170] In other words, when the stacked unit battery packs are connected in series, products with various voltage bands can be realized according to the number of stacks. In addition, when the stacked unit battery packs are connected in parallel, products with various capacities (storage capacities) can be realized according to the number of stacks.

[0171] In particular, each unit battery pack D may include a single module component 100 therein. In addition, each unit battery pack D includes a connector 610 such that each single module component 100 can be electrically connected to each other during stacking, as described above. In particular, due to the vertical stacking of each unit battery pack D, such connectors 610 can be configured to be coupled to each other.

[0172] In addition, in the above-described embodiment configuration, each unit battery pack D can accommodate the fire extinguishing tank 400 together with the single module component 100. That is, as described above, each unit battery pack D includes the fire extinguishing tank 400 at the upper part of the single module component 100. The battery packs stacked in a plurality of numbers have a stacked structure of fire extinguishing tank 400 - single module component 100 - fire extinguishing tank 400 - single module component 100 from top to bottom. The stacked battery pack of the present disclosure having such a structure can form a battery pack by increasing (expanding) the number of single module components 100 to increase various voltage bands and / or storage capacities, and can also safely cope with thermal events such as a fire in the single module component 100. Therefore, according to this embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the safety of the battery pack can be further improved.

[0173] Refer again to Figure 19 , another example of the coupling method between the battery packs (battery pack cases 300) stacked up and down is as follows. At the upper end of the side wall portion of the battery pack case 300, there may be a step formed inwardly in a concave shape, such as a step portion C1 for coupling. For example, the side wall portion of the battery pack case 300 has a relatively thin thickness. In addition, although Figure 19 not shown in, a coupling recess may be formed in the bottom of the battery pack case 300 such that the coupling step C1 of the side wall portion can be inserted. That is, when different battery pack cases 300 are stacked in the up and down direction, the coupling step C1 formed on the upper side of the side wall portion of the lower battery pack case 300 is inserted into the coupling recess formed on the bottom of the upper battery pack case 300. Therefore, when a plurality of battery pack cases 300 are stacked and coupled in the up and down direction, the outer surface of the battery pack case 300 can have a flat shape as a whole.

[0174] On the other hand, the coupling method for the fastening structure between battery packs stacked one above the other is not limited to Figure 19 and / or Figure 8 those shown, and various other coupling methods can be modified or changed and applied to the present disclosure.

[0175] In addition, the battery pack of the present disclosure can be connected to a battery management system (BMS, not shown). The battery management system monitors and manages the battery pack. The battery management system can be located on the uppermost layer of battery packs stacked one above the other. However, the location of the battery management system is not limited to the above location, and can be modified and changed in various ways to match the method or environment for implementing the present disclosure.

[0176] In addition to the above components, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may further include various other components included in the battery pack. For example, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may include various electrical components for controlling or managing charging and discharging of the battery pack, such as a battery management system (BMS), a relay, a fuse, and a current sensor.

[0177] The energy storage system (ESS) according to the present disclosure includes one or more battery packs according to the present disclosure as described above. In addition, in addition to the battery pack, the energy storage device according to the present disclosure may further include common components included in the energy storage device.

[0178] In the present embodiment, terms representing directions such as the upper side, the lower side, the left side, and the right side have been used, but the terms used are provided only for convenience of description and may vary depending on the position of the object, the position of the observer, etc.

[0179] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments and illustrative drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure defined by the appended claims.

[0180] [List of Reference Numerals]

[0181] 100: Monolithic Module Assembly

[0182] 110: Battery Cell

[0183] 120: End Plate

[0184] 130: Busbar Housing

[0185] 140: Strip

[0186] 200: Blocking Member

[0187] 210: Support Plate

[0188] 220: Inflatable pad

[0189] 230: Through hole

[0190] 300: Battery pack housing

[0191] 300a: Lower housing

[0192] 300b: Upper housing

[0193] 310: Auxiliary housing

[0194] 310: Opening

[0195] 320: Exhaust port

[0196] 330: Protruding surface

[0197] 340: First discharge passage

[0198] 350: Second discharge passage

[0199] 360: Discharge port

[0200] 360a: Thermal expansion member

[0201] 360b: Thermal expansion member connection part

[0202] 370: Connector through hole part

[0203] 380: Compartment wall

[0204] 400: Fire extinguishing tank

[0205] 410: Lower tank

[0206] 411: Substrate

[0207] 411a: Weak part

[0208] 412: Side wall

[0209] 420: Upper cover

[0210] 430: Injection port

[0211] 500: Outer cover

[0212] 600: Electrical connection unit

[0213] 610: Connector

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: a single cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a battery pack housing that houses the single cell module assembly in its internal space; and a fire extinguishing unit that can extinguish the battery cells by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the battery pack housing when a thermal event occurs in the battery cells, wherein the battery pack housing includes at least one discharge port on at least one of a longitudinal edge and a lateral edge of a bottom surface of the battery pack housing.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal expansion member located in the discharge port and expanding in volume at a specified temperature or higher to seal the discharge port.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: the thermal expansion member is arranged at a specified distance from an inner surface of the discharge port, and further comprises a thermal expansion member coupling portion arranged across a cross-section of the discharge port to fix the thermal expansion member.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: at least one end of the thermal expansion member is provided with a groove, the thermal expansion member coupling portion has a rod shape, and the thermal expansion member coupling portion is fixedly coupled to the groove of the thermal expansion member.

5. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: the thermal expansion member coupling portion is arranged on at least one of an inlet and an outlet of the discharge port.

6. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: the thermal expansion member has a pin shape arranged along a path of the discharge port.

7. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: the thermal expansion member is coaxially arranged with an inner surface of the discharge port.

8. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: the thermal expansion member is surrounded by at least a part of the inner surface of the discharge port while being in contact with at least a part of the inner surface of the discharge port.

9. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: the thermal expansion member is made of a polymer material.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein: the thermal expansion member is any one selected from the group consisting of PDMS (poly-dimethyl-siloxane), polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, butyl (meth)acrylate, hexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, and combinations thereof.

11. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: the thermal expansion member includes a gasket of a heat-resistant material located inside the thermal expansion member along a longitudinal direction of the thermal expansion member.

12. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: the fire extinguishing unit is a fire extinguishing canister located above the single cell module assembly to cover an upper surface of the battery pack housing.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The fire extinguishing agent is a liquid fire extinguishing agent.

14. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The bottom surface of the discharge port decreases in height from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing.

15. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The cross-section of the discharge port has a tapered shape that increases in size from the inside to the outside of the battery pack housing.

16. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: In the internal space of the battery pack housing, the bottom surface further includes a plurality of protruding surfaces protruding upward from the bottom surface and a first discharge passage between the plurality of protruding surfaces, and The plurality of protruding surfaces are arranged in columns along at least one of the length direction and the width direction of the battery pack housing.

17. The battery pack according to claim 16, wherein: The protruding surface includes: The uppermost surface, which is located at the center of the protruding surface, and the single cell module assembly is placed on the uppermost surface; and The inclined surface, which is radially formed around the uppermost surface, wherein the height of the inclined surface decreases from the uppermost surface toward the edge of the protruding surface.

18. The battery pack according to claim 16, wherein: The uppermost surface is formed in a circular plate shape, and The radially formed inclined surfaces are arranged at equal angles with respect to the center of the protruding surface.

19. The battery pack according to claim 16, wherein: The first discharge passage is arranged parallel to at least one of the longitudinal edge and the transverse edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing.

20. The battery pack according to claim 16, wherein: The height of the bottom surface of the discharge port is equal to or lower than the height of the first discharge passage.

21. The battery pack according to claim 16, wherein: The internal space of the battery pack housing further includes a second discharge passage arranged at the longitudinal edge and the transverse edge of the bottom surface of the battery pack housing, and The height of the second discharge passage is equal to or lower than the height of the first discharge passage.

22. The battery pack according to claim 21, wherein: The height of the bottom surface of the discharge port is equal to or lower than the height of the second discharge passage.

23. The battery pack according to claim 16, wherein: The battery pack housing further includes a plate-shaped partition wall arranged across the battery pack housing, The internal space of the battery pack housing is divided into a housing space for the single cell module assembly and a housing space for the electrical connection unit based on the partition wall, and The plurality of protruding surfaces and the first discharge passage are provided in at least one of the housing space for the single cell module assembly and the housing space for the electrical connection unit.

24. The battery pack according to claim 16, further includes an auxiliary housing made of metal and initially accommodating the single cell module assembly, The single cell module assembly is accommodated in the auxiliary housing, and the auxiliary housing is placed on the uppermost surface of the protruding surface of the battery pack housing, and The auxiliary housing includes at least one opening on a bottom surface of the auxiliary housing.

25. The battery pack according to claim 24, wherein: the opening is provided at an edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing or at a corner of the bottom surface of the auxiliary housing.

26. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: the battery packs are provided in a plurality of numbers, and the plurality of battery packs are mechanically or electrically connected to each other.

27. The battery pack according to claim 26, wherein: the plurality of battery packs can be stacked in the vertical direction.

28. The battery pack according to claim 26, wherein: the electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs is a series connection, so that voltage bands of the plurality of stacked battery packs can be achieved in various ways.

29. The battery pack according to claim 26, wherein: the electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs is a parallel connection, so that storage capacities of the plurality of stacked battery packs can be achieved in various ways.

30. An energy storage system, comprising the battery pack according to claim 1.

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