Battery pack and battery device having same

Abstract

A battery pack and a battery device utilize a cooling fluid and a cooling fluid circuit to cool battery cells in a normal operating state in which an event is not detected and to extinguish the event in an abnormal state. The cooling fluid circuit controls the inflow and outflow rates of the cooling fluid, such as fluid pumps or fluid valves connected to the inlets and outlets of the battery pack. In a normal operating state in which an event such as a fire, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cell is not detected, operating heat generated by charging and discharging of the battery cell may be rapidly cooled by submerged liquid cooling of the battery cell. In response to detecting the event, the event may be quickly extinguished using the cooling fluid by raising the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a preset elevated level.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a battery device including the battery pack. BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, unlike primary batteries that cannot be recharged, secondary batteries can be charged and discharged. Secondary batteries are used as energy sources for mobile devices, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electric bicycles, and uninterruptible power supplies. Depending on the type of external device to which they are applied, secondary batteries can be used in the form of a single battery or a group in which a plurality of batteries are connected and bundled as one unit.

[0003] Small mobile devices such as mobile phones can operate for a certain period of time using the output and capacity of a single battery. However, in the case of large mobile devices that require long-term operation or high-power operation, such as a laptop computer or an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle that consume a large amount of power, a group containing a plurality of batteries is preferable for a larger output and capacity, and the output voltage or output current can increase with the number of built-in batteries. SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure relates to embodiments of a battery pack and a battery device including the battery pack in which immersion liquid cooling is used to effectively cool battery cells and quickly extinguish an event. The battery pack or the battery device including the battery pack is light in weight and compact because a cooling fluid and a cooling fluid circuit are used to cool battery cells in a normal state in which an event is not detected, and to extinguish an event in an abnormal state without requiring an additional configuration. A cooling fluid circuit for controlling inflow and outflow rates of the cooling fluid, such as a fluid pump and a fluid valve connected to an inlet and an outlet of the battery pack, respectively, is provided to flow the cooling fluid. In the normal state in which an event such as ignition, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cells is not detected, operating heat generated due to charging and discharging of the battery cells can be quickly cooled by immersion liquid cooling of the battery cells. In response to detecting an event such as ignition, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cells, an event such as ignition, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cells can be quickly extinguished using the cooling fluid by raising a fluid level of the cooling fluid to a preset raised level in response to the event, compared to a fluid level of the cooling fluid in the normal state.

[0005] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and drawings.

[0006] A battery pack of the present disclosure can include: a battery cell; a case including an accommodation space that accommodates the battery cell and an inlet and an outlet for inflow and outflow of a cooling fluid in contact with the battery cell; a pressure gauge within the accommodation space and configured to detect an internal pressure of the accommodation space; and a control unit configured to control at least one of an inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and an outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet in response to detection by the pressure gauge of an increase in the internal pressure of the accommodation space.

[0007] For example, the case can include a first side on which the inlet and the outlet are co-located to form a U-turn path of the cooling fluid within the case, and a second side facing the first side in a first direction along which the battery cell is disposed and having first and second terminals for electrical connection of the battery cell.

[0008] For example, the case can have a length in the first direction corresponding to a long side, a width in a second direction corresponding to a short side, and a height in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions. The inlet and the outlet can be located at a first level of height and a second level of height, respectively, that are opposite in the third direction.

[0009] For example, the inlet and the outlet can be located at different diagonal positions in the second and third directions.

[0010] For example, the control unit can be configured to raise a fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the accommodation space by controlling at least one of the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet in response to detection by the pressure gauge of an occurrence of an event of exhaust gas being emitted from at least one of the battery cells.

[0011] For example, a fluid pump can be connected to the inlet to enhance the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet, a fluid valve can be connected to an outlet side to open or close or vary a degree of opening to thereby control the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet, and the control unit can control at least one of the fluid pump and the fluid valve to i) increase an output of the fluid pump connected to an inlet side, ii) decrease the degree of opening of the fluid valve connected to an outlet side, or iii) close the fluid valve connected to the outlet side.

[0012] For example, the control unit can control the fluid pump and the fluid valve together to increase the inflow rate of the inlet and decrease the outflow rate of the outlet, thereby accelerating the increase of the fluid level of the cooling fluid.

[0013] For example, the control unit can increase the output of the fluid pump at the inlet and can close the fluid valve at the outlet side to increase the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and block the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet.

[0014] For example, the control unit can be configured to open the fluid valve in a normal operation state in which the pressure gauge does not detect occurrence of an event, and can be configured to close the fluid valve in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event.

[0015] For example, in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event, the control unit can increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a fourth level higher than a third level, the third level being the fluid level of the cooling fluid in a normal operation state.

[0016] For example, the battery pack can further include a cover including an additional outlet at a fifth level higher than the battery cells and configured to discharge exhaust gas from a vent at an upper position of at least one of the battery cells, and the control unit can increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a fourth level substantially equal to the fifth level in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event.

[0017] For example, in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event, the fluid level of the cooling fluid can have been increased to the fourth level and can flow through the additional outlet under control of the control unit.

[0018] For example, in a normal operation state in which the pressure gauge does not detect occurrence of an event, the third level of the cooling fluid filling the accommodation space can be set to be substantially equal to or higher than a second level at which the outlet is located.

[0019] A battery device according to another aspect of the present disclosure can include the battery pack; and a cooling fluid circuit connected between the inlet and the outlet. The cooling fluid circuit can include a fluid pump connected to the inlet to increase an inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet; a fluid valve connected to the outlet to control opening or closing or a degree of opening and an outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet; a heat exchanger connected between the fluid pump and the fluid valve to cool the cooling fluid turned into a high temperature state when passing through an accommodation space in which the battery cells are accommodated; and a fluid tank to store the cooling fluid downstream of the heat exchanger.

[0020] For example, the control unit can increase the level of the cooling fluid filling the accommodation space by controlling at least one of the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event of exhaust gas being discharged from at least one of the battery cells.

[0021] For example, the control unit can be configured to control at least one of the fluid pump and the fluid valve to i) increase an output of the fluid pump, ii) decrease the degree of opening of the fluid valve, or iii) close the fluid valve.

[0022] For example, the control unit can control the fluid pump and the fluid valve together to increase the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and to decrease the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet, thereby accelerating increase of the fluid level of the cooling fluid.

[0023] For example, the control unit can increase the output of the fluid pump at the inlet and can close the fluid valve at the outlet, thereby increasing the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and blocking the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet.

[0024] For example, in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event, the control unit can increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a fourth level higher than a third level, the third level being the fluid level of the cooling fluid in a normal operation state.

[0025] For example, the battery device can further include a cover including a further outlet at a fifth level higher than the battery cells and configured to discharge exhaust gas from a vent at an upper position of at least one of the battery cells, and the control unit can increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to the fourth level substantially equal to the fifth level in response to the pressure gauge detecting occurrence of an event. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a diagram of a battery device according to one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the battery pack shown, taken along line III-III, illustrates the fluid levels of different cooling fluids and the levels of the internal components of the battery pack.

[0030] Figure 4 This shows the state under normal conditions. Figure 1 The diagram shows the fluid levels of the cooling fluid in the battery pack; and

[0031] Figure 5 It shows the response to Figure 1 The diagram shows the fluid level of the cooling fluid that rises due to an event occurring in the battery pack. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout. In this respect, the present embodiments may take different forms and should not be construed as limited to the description herein. Accordingly, embodiments are described below with reference only to the drawings to explain aspects of this specification. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of” modify the entire list of elements if it follows a list of elements, and do not modify individual elements within the list.

[0033] In the following description, a battery pack and a battery device including the battery pack are described according to an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a diagram of a battery device according to one embodiment.

[0036] Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the battery pack shown, taken from line III-III, illustrates the fluid levels of different cooling fluids and the levels of the internal components of the battery pack.

[0037] Figure 4 is a graph showing a fluid level of a cooling fluid in a battery pack in a normal state. Figure 1

[0038] Figure 5 is a graph showing a fluid level of a cooling fluid in a battery pack that is raised in response to Figure 1

[0039] Referring to the drawings, a battery pack 100 according to an embodiment can include a plurality of battery cells 10 and a case 101 including an accommodation space G for accommodating the plurality of battery cells 10 and a cooling fluid in contact with the plurality of battery cells 10. The case 101 includes an inlet 110 and an outlet 120 for inflow and outflow of the cooling fluid, a pressure gauge 180 within the accommodation space G and configured to detect an internal pressure in the accommodation space G, and a control unit 140 configured to control at least one of an inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet 110 and an outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet 120 in response to the pressure gauge 180 detecting an increase in the internal pressure in the accommodation space G.

[0040] A battery device can include the battery pack 100 and a cooling fluid circuit 200 connected between the inlet 110 and the outlet 120. The cooling fluid circuit 200 can include a fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 side to strengthen the inflow rate of the inlet 110, a fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 to open or close or change the degree of opening, thereby controlling the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet 120, a heat exchanger 230 between the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 and configured to cool the cooling fluid heated when passing through the accommodation space G in which the plurality of battery cells 10 are accommodated, and a fluid tank 250 for storing the cooling fluid downstream of the heat exchanger 230.

[0041] Hereinafter, the battery pack 100 according to an embodiment and a battery device including the battery pack 100 are described in more detail.

[0042] The battery pack 100 according to an embodiment can include a case 101 including an accommodation space G in which a plurality of battery cells 10 arranged in a first direction Z1 are accommodated. The case 101 can be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case including a long side corresponding to a length extending in the first direction Z1, a short side corresponding to a width extending in a second direction Z2 different from the first direction Z1, and a height extending in a third direction Z3 intersecting (or crossing) the first direction Z1 and the second direction Z2.

[0043] ​​The inlet 110 and the outlet 120 can be at one side of the housing 101 to form a fluid connection with a cooling fluid circuit 200 that provides a circulation path of a cooling fluid responsible for cooling and extinguishing the battery pack 100, and a fluid pump 210 and a fluid valve 220 for controlling a flow rate of the cooling fluid can be connected to the inlet 110 and the outlet 120, respectively. In an embodiment, the battery cells 10 in a normal state can be cooled by the cooling fluid that fills the accommodation space G in which the plurality of battery cells 10 are accommodated, and in response to an event such as overheating, explosion, flame, or fire of the battery cells 10 occurring in at least one of the battery cells 10, the battery cells 10 can be extinguished, thereby eliminating the event. Herein, the fact that the cooling fluid for cooling the battery cells 10 extinguishes the battery cells 10 in which the event has occurred can mean that the event such as overheating, explosion, flame, and fire of the battery cells 10 is calmed or mitigated so that the event of the battery cells 10 no longer proceeds, thereby being eliminated. In this sense, "extinguishing" can be broadly understood as eliminating the event such as overheating, explosion, flame, and fire, rather than extinguishing the flame of the battery cells 10. As described below, in an embodiment, in response to the occurrence of the event, the cooling fluid that fills the accommodation space G in which the plurality of battery cells 10 are accommodated can cool the battery cells 10 at a relatively low third level h3 (for example, at the third level h3 lower than the height of the battery cells 10) in a normal state, and can extinguish the battery cells 10 at a relatively high fourth level h4 (for example, at the fourth level h4 higher than the height of the battery cells 10).

[0044] In an embodiment, the battery cells 10 can include an exhaust port 10' for discharging exhaust gas of the battery cells 10 at an upper position of the battery cells 10, and the exhaust port 10' can be at the upper position of the battery cells 10, for example, at a sixth level h6 that is the highest height of the battery cells 10. In one or more embodiments, in a normal operating state, the fluid level of the cooling fluid can be maintained at the third level h3 lower than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' is located at the upper position of the battery cells 10, and thus, the exhaust gas generated from the battery cells 10 can be discharged through the exhaust port 10' in response to the occurrence of the event, thereby preparing for the occurrence of the event. In response to the occurrence of the event, the fluid level of the cooling fluid can be raised to the fourth level h4 higher than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' is located at the upper position of the battery cells 10, thereby submerging (or flooding) the entire battery cells 10 and extinguishing the event occurring in the battery cells 10. In an embodiment, the cooling fluid can be a liquid having a relatively high heat capacity than a gas such as air, and the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the accommodation space G can be cooled by liquid cooling by being submerged (or flooded) in the cooling fluid and directly contacting the cooling fluid.

[0045] In an embodiment, in response to an event in which exhaust gas is discharged from one of the plurality of battery cells 10, the occurrence of such an event can be detected by an increase in pressure in the accommodation space G in which the plurality of battery cells 10 are accommodated, and the exhaust gas discharged into the accommodation space G through the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 can increase the pressure of the accommodation space G, which is captured or detected by the pressure gauge 180 as the occurrence of the event. In response to detecting the occurrence of the event, i.e., after the exhaust gas is discharged from the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10, the exhaust port 10' from which the exhaust gas has been discharged can be submerged in the cooling fluid that has risen to the relatively high fourth level h4 under the control of the control unit 140 that captures the occurrence of the event, thereby extinguishing the flame discharged with the exhaust gas. In some embodiments, even after the event of discharging the exhaust gas is detected, residual exhaust gas can continue to be discharged through the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10, and the fourth level h4 corresponding to the occurrence of the event can be set to a height that is relatively lower than the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 formed at the upper position of the battery cell 10 to prevent the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 from being submerged in the cooling fluid that has risen to the fourth level h4. For example, in some embodiments, the fourth level h4 to which the cooling fluid rises in response to the event can be set to a height that is higher than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is formed at the upper position of the battery cell 10. For example, considering the time required to raise the fluid level to the relatively high fourth level h4 in response to the event, the fourth level h4 corresponding to the event can be set to a height that is higher than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is located at the upper position of the battery cell 10. In an embodiment, the fourth level h4 to which the cooling fluid rises in response to the event can be set to a height that is higher than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is located at the upper position of the battery cell 10. After the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 fills the accommodation space G, the fluid level of the cooling fluid is raised to the relatively high fourth level h4, and the increase in pressure in the accommodation space G is detected in accordance with the occurrence of the event, even though the relatively high fourth level h4 is set to a height that is higher than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is located at the upper position of the battery cell 10 (i.e., the fluid level of the cooling fluid is raised after the exhaust gas is sufficiently discharged, resulting in an increase in pressure in the accommodation space G in which the battery cells 10 are accommodated). Furthermore, as described above, although the occurrence of the event is detected by the pressure gauge 180 that detects the increase in pressure in the accommodation space G, under the control of the control unit 140 that detects the occurrence of the event, i.e., under the control of the control unit 140, it takes some time for the fluid level in the accommodation space G to rise to the relatively high fourth level h4, which increases the inflow rate of the inlet 110 and reduces or blocks the outflow rate of the outlet 120.Even if the fluid level of the cooling fluid corresponding to the event (for example, the fourth level h4) is set to a level higher than the sixth level h6 at which the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is located at the upper portion of the battery cell 10, the exhaust of the exhaust gas through the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is not hindered by the increase in the fluid level of the cooling fluid in which the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10 is immersed or submerged, because the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the accommodation space G is increased by the control unit 140 which detects the occurrence of the event by detecting the increase in the pressure in the accommodation space G by the pressure gauge 180 after the pressure in the accommodation space G is increased by the sufficient exhaust of the exhaust gas.

[0046] The fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 for controlling the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet 120 can be connected to the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 of the housing 101, respectively. The battery device according to an embodiment can include the battery pack 100 and the cooling fluid circuit 200 connected between the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100. The cooling fluid circuit 200 can include the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 for controlling the inflow rate of the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100, respectively, and the cooling fluid circuit 200 can further include the heat exchanger 230 connected between the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 to cool the cooling fluid heated while passing through the accommodation space G, and the fluid tank 250 connected downstream of the heat exchanger 230 to store the cooling fluid cooled by the heat exchanger 230.

[0047] In an embodiment, the battery pack 100 can include a control unit 140 for controlling the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet 120, and can further include a pressure gauge 180 for detecting an increase in pressure in the accommodation space G in response to an occurrence of an event of discharging exhaust gas from at least one of the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the accommodation space G. In response to the pressure gauge 180 detecting the occurrence of the event, the control unit 140 can control the inflow rate of the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the outlet 120 to raise the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a height of a fourth level h4 higher than a fluid level (e.g., a third level h3) of the cooling fluid in a normal operating state (i.e., a normal state in which the occurrence of the event is not detected by the pressure gauge 180). In an embodiment, by raising the fluid level of the cooling fluid to the fourth level h4 higher than the third level h3 in the normal state (e.g., by raising the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a height of the fourth level h4 higher than the height of the battery cell 10) in response to the occurrence of the event of discharging exhaust gas from at least one of the battery cells 10, the entire battery cell 10 can be immersed (or submerged) in the cooling fluid, thereby eliminating overheating of the battery cell 10 and extinguishing a flame of the battery cell 10.

[0048] In an embodiment, the battery pack 100 can include an inlet 110 and an outlet 120 which form a fluid connection with the battery pack 100 and are located on a first side S1 of the case 101. First and second terminals 131 and 132 which form an electrical connection with the battery pack 100 are located on a second side S2 of the case 101. The first side S1 faces the second side S2 in a first direction Z1. As such, in an embodiment, the case 101 can include the first side S1 which forms the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 for inflow and outflow of a cooling fluid and the second side S2 which forms the first and second terminals 131 and 132 for electrical input and output, and the first and second sides S1 and S2 can face each other in the first direction Z1 in which the battery cells 10 are arranged or in a second direction Z2 which intersects the first direction Z1. In an embodiment, the first and second sides S1 and S2 can face each other in the first direction Z1 in which the battery cells 10 are arranged. The inlet 110 and the outlet 120 for inflow and outflow of the cooling fluid can be on the first side S1 of the case 101 and can be formed at first and second levels h1 and h2, respectively, which are different from each other in a third direction Z3. In a normal state in which occurrence of an event is not detected, inflow through the inlet 110 formed at the relatively low first level h1 and outflow through the outlet 120 formed at the relatively high second level h2 are balanced with each other (e.g., in a balanced state), thereby maintaining the cooling fluid at a constant (or substantially constant) third level h3 in the accommodation space G. In an embodiment, in the normal state, the third level h3 of the cooling fluid can be maintained by balancing the inflow through the inlet 110 and the outflow through the outlet 120, and the third level h3 can be set to a level higher than the first and second levels h1 and h2 at which the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 are located, respectively. In an embodiment, since the first level h1 at which the inlet 110 is formed is set to a level lower than the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located, the cooling fluid introduced through the inlet 110 can fill the accommodation space G by increasing the fluid level from a lower portion of the accommodation space G toward an upper portion of the accommodation space G at which the outlet 120 is located. The third level h3 in the normal state or a fourth level h4 in response to occurrence of an event can be achieved by filling the case 101 from a lower portion of the case 101 toward an upper portion of the case 101, and the third and fourth levels h3 and h4 set in response to the normal state and occurrence of an event, respectively, can be achieved in the normal state and occurrence of an event after being adjusted by controlling the inflow through the inlet 110 and the outflow through the outlet 120.

[0049] The inlet 110 and the outlet 120 can be at the first and second levels h1 and h2 in the third direction Z3 from each other on the plane of the first side S1 of the housing 101 formed by the second and third directions Z2 and Z3. The inlet 110 and the outlet 120 located at different positions in the second and third directions Z2 and Z3 on the first side S1 can be diagonally positioned from each other in the second and third directions Z2 and Z3. As such, a path of the cooling fluid passing uniformly (or substantially uniformly) in the second and third directions Z2 and Z3 from the lower left where the inlet 110 is located to the upper right where the outlet 120 is located through the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 formed diagonally on the first side S1 of the housing 101 can be in the accommodation space G where the plurality of battery cells 10 is accommodated within the housing 101. Through the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 formed diagonally on the first side S1 of the housing 101, a U-turn path of the cooling fluid can be achieved. The inlet 110 and the outlet 120 can also be positioned at different first and second levels h1 and h2 in the third direction Z3 such that the cooling fluid passes uniformly (or substantially uniformly) in the third direction Z3 through the accommodation space G. The inlet 110 can be positioned at a relatively low first level h1, and the outlet 120 can be positioned at a relatively high second level h2. The second level h2 where the outlet 120 is located can be set to be substantially equal to or lower than a third level h3 which is a level of the cooling fluid in a normal state, and can be set to be a height of the battery cell 10, for example, a level lower than the third level h3 which is lower than a sixth level h6 where the exhaust port 10' positioned at an upper position of the battery cell 10 is located.

[0050] The first and second terminals 131 and 132 for electrical input and output can be on the second side S2 of the housing 101, and the first and second terminals 131 and 132 included in the input / output terminal 130 and having different polarities can be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the accommodation space G of the housing 101. The plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the accommodation space G can be connected to an external device such as an external load or a charger through the first and second terminals 131 and 132, and can be connected to the external load to supply power when discharging, or can be connected to the external charger to charge. The first and second terminals 131 and 132 can form a charging path and a discharging path of the battery pack 100 by providing an electrical connection between the plurality of battery cells 10 inside the housing 101 and the external device outside the housing 101.

[0051] The cover 150 can be on the upper portion of the case 101, and a discharge port or outlet 150' for discharging the exhaust gas discharged from at least one of the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the case 101 can be on the cover 150. As described below, in an embodiment, the outlet 150' can be configured to detect a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the outlet 150' and react according to the pressure difference. In one or more embodiments, the outlet 150' can open or close according to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the outlet 150'. For example, the outlet 150' can open in response to the inside pressure being higher than the outside pressure, and can close in response to the inside pressure being lower than the outside pressure. As described below, in an embodiment, the cooling fluid flowing into the case 101 through the inlet 110 or the cooling fluid flowing out of the case 101 through the outlet 120 can eliminate an event such as a fire or an explosion by filling the accommodation space G inside the case 101, because the net inflow rate into the case 101 increases under the control of the control unit 140 detecting the occurrence of an event such as a fire or an explosion from the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the case 101, and the cooling fluid can, for example, extinguish a fire by submerging the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the accommodation space G. In an embodiment, the occurrence of an event can be detected by a pressure gauge 180 inside the accommodation space G, which is configured to detect an increase in pressure in the accommodation space G in response to the occurrence of an event or the discharge of exhaust gas from the battery cells 10. Excess cooling fluid exceeding the volume of the accommodation space G can flow out of the battery pack 100 through the outlet 150' formed on the cover 150 (e.g., through the outlet 150' at the fifth highest level h5 of the battery pack 100, e.g., through the outlet 150' on the cover 150 at the fifth level h5). As such, in an embodiment, the outlet 150' on the cover 150 can provide a discharge location for discharging excess cooling fluid exceeding the volume of the accommodation space G or overflowing from the accommodation space G to the outside together with the exhaust gas discharged from the plurality of battery cells 10. For example, in an embodiment, unlike a general exhaust port 10' through which a gas such as exhaust gas passes, the outlet 150' on the cover 150 can be or include a structure or member configured to allow a liquid such as cooling fluid to pass or permeate together with a gas such as exhaust gas, i.e., a structure or member through or permeable to both the gas and the liquid. For example, the outlet 150' can fluidly connect the inside and the outside of the case 101 in response to a pressure increase, which can mean that the outlet 150' allows a fluid (e.g., a gas such as exhaust gas and a liquid such as cooling fluid) to pass or permeate between the inside and the outside of the case 101 in response to the occurrence of an event.

[0052] In one embodiment, the battery pack 100 can eliminate or substantially eliminate events (e.g., extinguish flames) in the battery cells 10 by immersing (or submerging) them. Since the cooling fluid filling the housing 101 at least reaches the level adjacent to the outlet 150', it can prevent (or at least mitigate) the ignition of flames or the spread of flames to the outside caused by exhaust gases emitted from the battery pack 100 through the outlet 150'. For example, an outlet 150' configured to form communication between the interior and exterior of the housing 101 in response to an event connecting the interior of the housing 101 to the outside, where high-temperature exhaust gases and flames are emitted to the outside through the outlet 150' could lead to an explosion or flame spread due to contact between the exhaust gases and external oxygen. However, in one embodiment, by applying an immersion method to eliminate the event, the spread of an explosion or flame outside the battery pack 100 can be blocked by the controlled inflow and outflow of cooling fluid through inlet 110 and outlet 120 (e.g., by filling the interior of housing 101 with cooling fluid to a relatively elevated fourth level h4 and discharging excess cooling fluid to the outside through outlet 150'). Unlike embodiments of this disclosure, to prevent the spread of flame to the outside without extinguishing cooling fluid, a separate cooling or extinguishing structure can be applied to outlet 150'. However, in one embodiment, the spread of fire or flame at outlet 150' can be blocked by extinguishing cooling fluid overflowing or rising to at least about a fifth level h5 at outlet 150', and for example, a series of explosions of the electric vehicle due to an external fire or the spread of flame at outlet 150' can be prevented (or at least mitigated).

[0053] A battery device according to one embodiment may include a battery pack 100 and a cooling fluid circuit 200 fluidly connected to the battery pack 100. The cooling fluid circuit 200 may be connected to an inlet 110 and an outlet 120 of the battery pack 100 to supply cooling fluid to the battery pack 100 and / or receive cooling fluid discharged from the battery pack 100. A heat exchanger 230 may be connected between a fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 and a fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 to provide a circulation path (e.g., to form a periodic temperature profile) between the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100, and a fluid tank 250 may be connected between the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 (e.g., between the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 and downstream of the heat exchanger 230) to receive or supply a flow rate of cooling fluid.

[0054] In an embodiment, the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 can be connected to the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100, respectively, and the fluid pump 210 can generate a pressure difference to form an inflow rate toward each battery pack 100 and an outflow rate from the battery pack 100. For example, in an embodiment, by providing one fluid pump 210 in the cooling fluid circuit 200 connected between the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 to control both the inflow rate of the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the outlet 120, instead of independently controlling the inflow rate and the outflow rate, the inflow rate and the outflow rate can be simultaneously controlled at a constant or substantially constant flow rate (e.g., a volume flowing through a cross-sectional area of the inlet 110 or the outlet 120 per unit time), thereby forming a steady flow having a constant or substantially constant flow rate. As described below, when the fluid pump 210 for intensifying the inflow rate of the inlet 110 increases output and the fluid valve 220 for controlling the outflow rate of the outlet 120 side is closed in response to detecting occurrence of an event, the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the accommodation space G can increase to a fourth level h4 that is relatively higher than a third level h3 in a normal state.

[0055] In an embodiment, in response to the battery pack 100 being in a normal state, the control unit 140 can generate a steady flow to maintain the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the accommodation space G inside the battery pack 100 constant (or substantially constant) (e.g., to maintain the fluid level of the cooling fluid at the third level h3). In response to an event occurring, the control unit 140 can increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a fourth level h4 that is higher than the third level h3 in a normal state. The cooling fluid at the relatively elevated fourth level h4 can extinguish a flame caused by high-temperature exhaust gas from the exhaust port 10' at the upper position of the battery cell 10 by submerging (or flooding) the battery cell 10 to the upper position thereof. The cooling fluid can also block generation of a flame caused by high-temperature exhaust gas around the outlet 150' or spread of the flame when the cooling fluid flows out through the outlet 150' of the housing 101 that provides a discharge path for the exhaust gas.

[0056] In an embodiment, in response to an event occurring in at least one of the battery cells 10 accommodated in the battery pack 100, exhaust gas can be discharged through the exhaust port 10' at the upper position of the battery cell 10, and the internal pressure of the accommodation space G accommodating the exhaust gas can increase. In response to the control unit 140 detecting the increase in pressure in the accommodation space G, the inflow rate generated by the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 side can increase, so that the fluid level of the cooling fluid can rise inside the battery pack 100, and the outflow rate can be reduced or blocked by the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120. In an embodiment, the occurrence of the event in the battery pack 100 can be detected by the increase in pressure in the accommodation space G, and a pressure gauge 180 for measuring the internal pressure of the accommodation space G can be located inside the battery pack 100. For example, in an embodiment, the pressure gauge 180 can be positioned higher than a third level h3, which is the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the accommodation space G in the battery pack 100 in a normal state. The pressure gauge 180 can measure the pressure of the empty space above the accommodation space G not filled with the cooling fluid, rather than the pressure of the cooling fluid, and can detect the occurrence of the event by detecting the increase in pressure due to the exhaust gas being discharged into the accommodation space G through the exhaust port 10' formed at the upper position of the battery cell 10. In some embodiments, the pressure gauge 180 can be positioned lower than the third level h3, which is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in a normal state. The pressure of the exhaust gas filling the accommodation space G can be transmitted to the pressure gauge 180 immersed in the cooling fluid by the liquid level of the cooling fluid, and the occurrence of the event can be detected as a pressure greater than or equal to a preset threshold value detected by the pressure gauge 180.

[0057] In an embodiment, controlling the inflow rate of the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 to raise the fluid level of the cooling fluid inside the accommodation space G in response to the event occurring can refer to increasing the inflow rate generated by the fluid pump 210 and controlling the opening or closing of the fluid valve 220 to reduce or block the outflow rate of the fluid valve 220. For example, increasing the inflow rate of the fluid pump 210 can refer to relatively increasing the inflow rate through the inlet 110 in response to the event occurring, compared to the inflow rate generated through the inlet 110 in the battery pack 100 in a normal state, and / or can refer to increasing the input current input to the fluid pump 210 to increase the output of the fluid pump 210. For example, reducing or blocking the outflow rate of the fluid valve 220 can refer to relatively reducing the outflow rate through the outlet 120 in response to the event occurring, compared to the outflow rate through the outlet 120 in a normal state, and / or can refer to blocking or reducing the outflow rate through the outlet 120 by controlling the opening or closing or degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 (e.g., closing the fluid valve 220 or reducing the degree of opening of the fluid valve 220).

[0058] In an embodiment, in response to the occurrence of the event, the inflow rate through the inlet 110 can be increased, and the outflow rate through the outlet 120 can be blocked (or at least reduced) to raise the fluid level of the cooling fluid inside the accommodation space G. In one or more embodiments, in response to the occurrence of the event, the output of the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 can be increased, and the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 side can be closed.

[0059] In an embodiment, by increasing the inflow rate through the inlet 110 and blocking (or at least reducing) the outflow rate through the outlet 120 in response to the occurrence of the event, the fluid level of the cooling fluid can be rapidly increased inside the accommodation space G, and the progress of the event can be blocked (for example, a chain fire or explosion of cells adjacent to the cell 10 in which the event occurred can be prevented, and / or the spread of an external fire or flame through the outlet 150' can be prevented). In one or more embodiments, compared to increasing the inflow rate through the inlet 110 and reducing the outflow rate through the outlet 120, by increasing the inflow rate through the inlet 110 and blocking the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet 120, the fluid level of the cooling fluid inside the accommodation space G can be increased in a shorter period of time.

[0060] In an embodiment, the fluid valve 220 for controlling the opening and closing of the outflow rate through the outlet 120 can be at the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100. The control unit 140 can open the fluid valve 220 in a normal state in which the occurrence of the event is not detected to allow the outflow rate through the outlet 120 from the opened fluid valve 220. The control unit 140 can close the fluid valve 220 at the outlet 120 or reduce the degree of opening of the cooling fluid in response to detecting the occurrence of the event to reduce or block the outflow rate through the outlet 120. That is, in an embodiment, in response to detecting the occurrence of the event, the control unit 140 can increase the output of the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 to increase the inflow rate through the inlet 110, and can block or reduce the outflow rate through the outlet 120 by closing the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 or by reducing the degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 to below the outflow rate in the normal state.

[0061] In an embodiment, in response to detecting the occurrence of the event, the control unit 140 can control the inflow rate through the inlet 110 and the outflow rate through the outlet 120 together by controlling the opening or closing or degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 and the output of the fluid pump 210, or the control unit 140 can control the opening or closing or degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 and the output of the fluid pump 210 separately.

[0062] In an embodiment, the inflow rate generated by the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 of the battery pack 100 and the outflow rate controlled by the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100 can be controlled independently and differently from each other. The fluid tank 250 can be connected between the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 of the cooling fluid circuit 200 fluidically connected to the battery pack 100 to buffer the difference in the inflow rate of the inlet 110 and the outflow rate of the outlet 120. In one or more embodiments, in response to an event occurrence, the inflow rate can be increased with the output of the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110, but the outflow rate can be reduced or blocked according to the opening or closing or degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120. The fluid tank 250 can be connected between the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 to buffer the imbalance between the inflow rate and the outflow rate. In one or more embodiments, the fluid tank 250 can store additional cooling fluid or supply cooling fluid while buffering the imbalance between the inflow rate reinforced by the fluid pump 210 and the outflow rate controlled by the fluid valve 220.

[0063] In an embodiment, in response to an event occurrence, the inflow rate through the inlet 110 can be increased by the fluid tank 250 instead of increasing the circulation of cooling fluid from the outflow rate through the outlet 120, and the cooling fluid stored in the fluid tank 250 can be supplied to increase the inflow rate through the inlet 110. The fluid tank 250 can store cooling fluid cooled by the heat exchanger 230, and can maintain a relatively low temperature of the cooling fluid and supply the cooling fluid flowing through the inlet 110 by the fluid pump 210.

[0064] The fluid tank 250 can receive cooling fluid cooled from the heat exchanger 230 and provide storage space for the cooling fluid, and can provide storage space isolated from the external environment to maintain a relatively low temperature of the cooling fluid. The heat exchanger 230 connected to the cooling fluid circuit 200 before the fluid tank 250 can be configured to cool the relatively high temperature cooling fluid discharged through the outlet 120 (for example, the heat exchanger 230 can include a tube containing a flow of a phase change material involving a phase change between a gas and a liquid and capable of evaporating by heat from the cooling fluid). In an embodiment, the cooling fluid circuit 200 connected between the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100 can have a relatively low temperature section connected to the inlet 110 before and after the heat exchanger 230 and a relatively high temperature section connected to the outlet 120.

[0065] In an embodiment, the pressure gauge 180 for detecting the occurrence of an event can be connected to the inlet 110 and / or the outlet 120 to which the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 are connected, respectively, and the operation of the fluid pump 210 and / or the fluid valve 220 connected to the inlet 110 and / or the outlet 120 can be directly controlled by the pressure gauge 180 connected to the inlet 110 and / or the outlet 120. In one or more embodiments, the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port 10' at the upper position of the battery cell 10 can deliver pressure through the liquid level of the cooling fluid while filling the empty space above the liquid level of the cooling fluid in the accommodation space G. This pressure increase in the accommodation space G can be delivered to the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 for inflow and outflow of the cooling fluid, and can be detected by the pressure gauge 180 at the inlet 110 and / or the outlet 120. Through the pressure gauge 180 at the inlet 110 and / or the outlet 120, the inflow rate can be increased by increasing the output of the fluid pump 210 at the inlet 110, and the outflow rate can be reduced or blocked by adjusting the opening or closing or degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 at the outlet 120.

[0066] In some embodiments, the pressure gauge 180 can be in the empty space above the accommodation space G at a level higher than the liquid level of the cooling fluid to detect the pressure of the exhaust gas discharged toward the upper portion of the accommodation space G, the pressure gauge 180 can be at a level lower than the liquid level of the cooling fluid inside the accommodation space G to detect the pressure of the exhaust gas delivered through the liquid level of the cooling fluid, or the pressure gauge 180 can be at the inlet 110 and / or the outlet 120 on the first side S1 of the housing 101 to detect the pressure of the exhaust gas delivered through the liquid level of the cooling fluid. The pressure gauge 180 can be on any one or both of the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 on the first side S1 of the housing 101 to control the operation of the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 connected to the inlet 110 and the outlet 120, respectively.

[0067] In an embodiment, the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 can be at the first level hi and the second level h2, respectively, which are different from each other in the third direction Z3 on the first side S1 of the housing 101. The cooling fluid can be supplied from the inlet 110 at the relatively low first level hi, can pass through the containment space G of the battery pack 100, and can be discharged through the outlet 120 at the relatively high second level h2. The second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located can be set to be equal to or lower than a height of the third level h3 corresponding to a fluid level of the cooling fluid in the battery pack 100 in a normal operating state, to allow the cooling fluid to flow out of the battery pack 100 in the normal state. In one or more embodiments, the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located can be set to be equal to or lower than the height of the third level h3 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the battery pack 100 in the normal state, and can be set to be lower than a height of a fourth level h4 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the battery pack 100 in response to the occurrence of the event. In an embodiment, the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space G can increase in response to the occurrence of the event, and the fourth level h4 set in the battery pack 100 in response to the occurrence of the event can be higher than the third level h3 that is the level of the cooling fluid in response to the battery pack 100 being in the normal operating state. Accordingly, the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located can be set to be equal to or lower than the height of the third level h3 that is lower than the fourth level h4.

[0068] As such, in an embodiment, the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located can be at a height lower than the third level h3 corresponding to the fluid level of the cooling fluid of the battery cell 10 in the normal operating state. Since the third level h3 in the normal operating state can be lower than the height of the battery cell 10, the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located can be lower than the height of the battery cell 10. As such, the exhaust gas of the battery cell 10 can be discharged into the containment space G through the exhaust port 10' at the sixth level h6 corresponding to the height or the highest level of the battery cell 10. In one or more embodiments, the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located in the third direction Z3 is lower than the third level h3 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the normal operating state, and the third level h3 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the normal operating state is lower than the height of the battery cell 10 or the sixth level h6 of the exhaust port 10' of the battery cell 10.

[0069] In an embodiment, the cover 150 can be located on the housing 101 in which the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 are positioned, and the outlet 150' of the cover 150 at the fifth level h5, which is the highest level of the battery pack 100 (e.g., the fifth level h5 is equal to the height of the cover 150), can discharge the exhaust gas discharged from the battery cell 10 into the containment space G to the outside of the containment space G. The excess cooling fluid that exceeds the volume of the containment space G or the excess cooling fluid that flows out of the containment space G can be discharged to the outside of the containment space G through the outlet 150'. In one or more embodiments, the fifth level h5 of the outlet 150' can be set to a level higher than the battery cell 10, so that the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port 10' at the upper position of the battery cell 10 can be discharged to the outside.

[0070] In an embodiment, the fifth level h5 at which the outlet 150' is located can be set to be substantially equal to the fourth level h4 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the battery pack 100 in response to the occurrence of the event. The excess cooling fluid remaining after the fourth level h4 is filled can be discharged to the outside of the battery pack 100 through the outlet 150'. Further, the fifth level h5 at which the outlet 150' is located can be set to be higher than the third level h3 that is set to a height lower than the fourth level h4 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the battery pack 100 in response to the occurrence of the event. The fifth level h5 at which the outlet 150' is located can be set to be higher than the height of the third level h3 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the battery pack 100 in a normal operating state, and can be set to be higher than the height of the second level h2 at which the outlet 120 is located, the second level h2 being set to a height lower than the third level h3 that is the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the normal operating state.

[0071] In an embodiment, in response to the occurrence of an event detected by the pressure gauge 180 for measuring the pressure of the containment space G, the fluid pump 210 and the fluid valve 220 connected respectively to the inlet 110 and to the outlet 120 of the battery pack 100 can be controlled to increase the output of the fluid pump 210 and / or to regulate the opening or the closing or the degree of opening of the fluid valve 220. The output of the fluid pump 210 or the opening or the closing or the degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 can be controlled by an electrical measurement signal received from the pressure gauge 180 and, for example, can be controlled by the control unit 140 which receives the measurement signal from the pressure gauge 180, compares the measurement signal with a preset threshold to determine whether the event has occurred, and outputs a control signal to increase the output of the fluid pump 210 and / or to close the fluid valve 220 or to regulate the degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 according to the determination result. In one or more embodiments, the control unit 140 can have any configuration (for example, any shape and position) capable of outputting control signals for the fluid pump 210 and for the fluid valve 220. In one or more embodiments in which the control signal is output directly from the pressure gauge 180, configured to detect the pressure in the containment space G, to the fluid pump 210 and to the fluid valve 220, the pressure gauge 180 can be a combination of a measurement system for detecting the pressure and of the control unit 140 which captures the occurrence of the event by comparing the detected pressure with a preset threshold and outputs the control signal to the fluid pump 210 and to the fluid valve 220.

[0072] In an embodiment, the battery pack 100 can include a first side S1 and a second side S2 arranged to face each other in a first direction Z1 along which the plurality of battery cells 10 are arranged. An inlet 110 and an outlet 120 for inflow and outflow of a cooling fluid, respectively, can be on the first side S1, and first and second terminals 131 and 132 forming a charge path and a discharge path of the battery pack 100 can be on the second side S2. In an embodiment, the battery pack 100 or a case 101 forming an outer shape of the battery pack 100 can have a rectangular or cuboid shape having long and short sides in a longitudinal direction and a width direction, respectively. The first direction Z1 along which the battery cells 10 are arranged is the longitudinal direction, and a second direction Z2 crossing the first direction Z1 is the width direction. For example, since the first side S1 on which the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 for fluid connection of the battery pack 100 are located and the second side S2 on which the first and second terminals 131 and 132 for electrical connection of the battery pack 100 are located face each other in the first direction Z1 corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100, the inlet 110 and the outlet 110 forming the fluid connection and the first and second terminals 131 and 132 forming the electrical connection can be spaced apart from each other as much as possible along the long side forming the length of the battery pack 100. For example, in order to avoid erroneous power-on or short circuit due to contact between the fluid connection and the electrical connection, the fluid connection and the electrical connection can be arranged on the first and second sides S1 and S2 in the longitudinal direction, respectively, so that the distance between the fluid connection and the electrical connection is maximized in the first direction Z1.

[0073] In an embodiment, the cooling fluid can be an insulating fluid, for example, an insulating fluid configured not to cause electrical interference to the battery cell 10. In an embodiment, the plurality of battery cells 10 accommodated in the battery pack 100 can be surrounded by the relatively low-temperature cooling fluid introduced through the inlet 110 in fluid communication with the accommodation space G and can be cooled by liquid cooling, and heat exchange can be performed through direct contact between the cooling fluid and the battery cell 10. The cooling fluid receiving heat from the battery cell 10 and changing to a relatively high-temperature state can be restored or returned to a low-temperature state by passing through the heat exchanger 230 connected to the external cooling fluid circuit 200 through the outlet 120. In an embodiment, the height difference between the first level h1 and the second level h2 of the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 in the third direction Z3, respectively, can be such that the cooling fluid partially surrounds the battery cell 10 in the third direction Z3 and surrounds at least a portion of the battery cell 10 between the bottom in the lower position thereof and the exhaust port 10' in the upper position thereof. The cooling fluid can surround the battery cell 10 at a third level h3 in a normal operating state, and surround the battery cell 10 at a fourth level h4 different from the third level h3 in response to an event occurrence, which means that at least a portion of the battery cell 10 between the bottom of the battery cell 10 and the exhaust port 10' in the upper position of the battery cell 10 is surrounded by the cooling fluid.

[0074] In some embodiments, the cooling fluid can be an insulating fluid or a non-insulating fluid, and the battery cell 10 can include a fluid seal and an electrical insulator, so as not to cause fluid leakage and electrical short due to direct contact with the cooling fluid. In one or more embodiments, the battery cell 10 can include a fluid seal such as a gasket at a position where the housing of the battery cell 10 contacts the electrode 15 exposed thereto and at a position where the housing of the battery cell 10 contacts the exhaust port 10' on the housing, and can include an electrical insulator such as an insulating film.

[0075] In an embodiment, when the venting of the exhaust gas from the at least one battery cell 10 is detected by the pressure gauge 180 that captures or detects the increase in pressure of the battery cell 10, the inflow rate through the inlet 110 and the outflow rate through the outlet 120 are simultaneously controlled in response to the occurrence of the event to increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space G from the third level h3 in the normal operating state to the fourth level h4. In some embodiments, the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space G can be raised from the third level h3 in the normal operating state to the fourth level h4 at the time of the occurrence of the event (or immediately after the occurrence of the event) by controlling at least one of the inflow rate through the inlet 110 and the outflow rate through the outlet 120 in response to the occurrence of the event, and the outflow rate through the outlet 120 can be controlled in a manner to increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space G in response to the occurrence of the event. In one or more embodiments, the fluid level of the cooling fluid can be raised in response to the event by reducing or blocking the outflow rate through the outlet 120. In one or more embodiments, the control unit 140 can control at least one of the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110 and the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 to i) increase the output of the fluid pump 210 connected to the inlet 110, ii) reduce the degree of opening of the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 side, and / or iii) close the fluid valve 220 connected to the outlet 120 side.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the battery pack or the battery device including the battery pack is light and compact because the cooling fluid and the cooling fluid circuit are used to cool the battery cells in a normal open state in which no event is detected and to extinguish the event in an abnormal state without requiring additional components. The cooling fluid circuit for controlling the inflow rate and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid, such as the fluid pump and the fluid valve connected to the inlet and the outlet of the battery pack, respectively, can be included to generate the flow of the cooling fluid, thus the battery pack can be protected, and the spread of fire or explosion to the outside can be blocked by effectively cooling the battery cells using the immersion liquid cooling and the rapid extinguishment of the event. In the normal state in which no event such as the fire, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cell is detected, the operating heat generated due to the charging and discharging of the battery cell can be rapidly cooled by the immersion liquid cooling of the battery cell, and in response to the detection of the event such as the fire, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cell, the event such as the fire, explosion, or gas emission of the battery cell can be rapidly extinguished using the cooling fluid by raising the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a preset raised level in response to the event compared to the fluid level of the cooling fluid in the normal operating state.

[0077] It should be understood that the embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as being applicable to other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. While one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack, characterized in that, The battery pack includes: Multiple battery cells; The housing includes a housing space for accommodating the plurality of battery cells and an inlet and outlet for the inflow and outflow of cooling fluid in contact with the plurality of battery cells; A pressure gauge is located within the containment space and is configured to detect the internal pressure within the containment space; and A control unit is configured to control at least one of the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet in response to an increase in the internal pressure of the containment space detected by the pressure gauge.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing includes: The first side portion, on which the inlet and the outlet are jointly formed, creates a U-shaped bend in the cooling fluid within the housing. A second side portion, facing the first side portion along a first direction along which the plurality of battery cells are arranged, includes a first terminal and a second terminal for electrical connection to the plurality of battery cells.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer shell has a length corresponding to its long side in the first direction, a width corresponding to its short side in the second direction, and a height in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions. The entrance is at a first horizontal level above the third party and the exit is at a second horizontal level above the third party, which is higher than the first level.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inlet and the outlet are located at different diagonal positions in the second direction and the third direction, respectively.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to, in response to the occurrence of an event detected by the pressure gauge that exhaust gas is emitted from at least one of the plurality of battery cells, increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space by controlling at least one of the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that, The battery pack further includes: A fluid pump, connected to the inlet, is configured to increase the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet; and A fluid valve, connected to the outlet, is configured to open or close, or to change the degree of opening, thereby controlling the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet. The control unit is further configured to control at least one of the fluid pump and the fluid valve to i) increase the output of the fluid pump connected to the inlet, ii) decrease the opening degree of the fluid valve connected to the outlet, or iii) close the fluid valve connected to the outlet.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to control both the fluid pump and the fluid valve to increase the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and decrease the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet, thereby accelerating the rise in the fluid level of the cooling fluid.

8. The battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to increase the output of the fluid pump at the inlet and close the fluid valve at the outlet, thereby increasing the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and blocking the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet.

9. The battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to open the fluid valve in response to the pressure gauge not detecting an event, and to close the fluid valve in response to the pressure gauge detecting the event.

10. The battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that, In response to the pressure gauge detecting the occurrence of the event, the control unit is further configured to raise the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a fourth level higher than the third level, which is the fluid level of the cooling fluid under normal operating conditions.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, characterized in that, The battery pack further includes a cover having an additional outlet at a fifth level above the individual battery cells, the additional outlet being configured to discharge exhaust gases from an vent located at the upper part of at least one of the plurality of battery cells. The control unit is further configured to increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to the fourth level, which is equal to the fifth level, in response to the pressure gauge detecting the occurrence of the event.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, characterized in that, In response to the pressure gauge detecting the occurrence of the event, the cooling fluid, whose fluid level has risen to the fourth level, flows through the additional outlet under the control of the control unit.

13. The battery pack according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the normal state where no event is detected by the pressure gauge, the third level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space is higher than or equal to the second level at the outlet.

14. A battery device, characterized in that, The battery device includes: The battery pack according to claim 1; and A cooling fluid circuit, connected between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the cooling fluid circuit includes: A fluid pump, connected to the inlet, is configured to generate an inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet; A fluid valve, connected to the outlet, is configured to open or close or change the degree of opening, thereby controlling the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet; A heat exchanger, connected between the fluid pump and the fluid valve, is configured to cool the cooling fluid that becomes hot as it passes through the containment space housing the plurality of battery cells; and A fluid tank is configured to store the cooling fluid downstream of the heat exchanger.

15. The battery device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to, in response to the occurrence of an event detected by the pressure gauge that exhaust gas is emitted from at least one of the plurality of battery cells, increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid filling the containment space by controlling at least one of the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet.

16. The battery device according to claim 15, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to control at least one of the fluid pump and the fluid valve to i) increase the output of the fluid pump, ii) decrease the opening degree of the fluid valve, or iii) close the fluid valve.

17. The battery device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to control both the fluid pump and the fluid valve to increase the inflow rate of the cooling fluid through the inlet and decrease the outflow rate of the cooling fluid through the outlet, thereby accelerating the rise in the fluid level of the cooling fluid.

18. The battery device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to increase the output of the fluid pump at the inlet and close the fluid valve at the outlet, thereby increasing the inflow rate of the cooling fluid at the inlet and blocking the outflow rate of the cooling fluid at the outlet.

19. The battery device according to claim 15, characterized in that, In response to the pressure gauge detecting the occurrence of the event, the control unit is further configured to raise the fluid level of the cooling fluid to a fourth level higher than the third level, which is the fluid level of the cooling fluid under normal operating conditions.

20. The battery device according to claim 19, characterized in that, The battery device further includes a cover with an additional outlet located at a fifth level above the battery cells and configured to discharge the exhaust gas from an vent at the upper position of at least one of the battery cells. The control unit is further configured to increase the fluid level of the cooling fluid to the fourth level, which is equal to the fifth level, in response to the pressure gauge detecting the occurrence of the event.

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