Storage device for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle

Abstract

A storage device (10) for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one housing (12) having a receiving space (14), at least one storage cell (16) received in the receiving space (14) and configured to store the electrical energy, said storage cell having a cell housing (18), and a cooling device (20) having at least one inlet (22), via which a coolant (26) can be introduced into at least one cooling region (24) of the receiving space (14) by means of the cooling device (20), by means of which the storage cell (16) around which the coolant (26) flows directly on its outer circumference is to be cooled, and at least one outlet (30), via which the coolant (26) can be discharged from the cooling region (24), wherein the cell housing (18) has a region (B) provided with a venting element (32) for discharging gas (34) from the cell housing (18) and arranged in the cooling region (24),whereby the gas (34) flowing out of the cell housing (18) via the venting element (32) can be absorbed by the coolant (26) and discharged from the cooling region (24) with the coolant (26) therein via the outlet (30), characterized by at least one component (36) arranged outside the receiving space (14), in which the coolant (26) discharged from the cooling region (24) via the outlet (30) and containing the gas (34) can be at least temporarily received, wherein the component (36) has a further venting element (38) by means of which, for venting the component (36), the gas (34) escaping from the coolant (26) at least temporarily received in the component (36) can be discharged from the component (36) to its surroundings (46).

Description

The invention relates to a storage device for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1.DE 10 2018 003 174 A1 discloses a storage device for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, having a housing which has a receiving space and in the receiving space of which a plurality of storage cells which are round on the outer circumference are accommodated for storing the electrical energy. Furthermore, a cooling device is provided, by means of which a cooling liquid can be introduced into the receiving space, by means of which cooling liquid can be cooled around the outer circumferential side of the storage cells, which can be directly surrounded by the cooling liquid. Furthermore, DE 10 2005 017 648 A1 discloses a liquid-cooled battery. Furthermore, an aircraft cooling system is known from US 2019 / 0097282 A1.It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle, so that particularly safe operation can be realized.This object is achieved by a storage device having the features of patent claim 1 and by a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 7. Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are specified in the other claims.A first aspect of the invention relates to a storage device for storing electrical energy or electrical current for a motor vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle designed, for example, as a passenger vehicle. This means that the motor vehicle has the storage device in its completely manufactured state. In addition, the motor vehicle has, for example, at least one electric machine, by means of which the motor vehicle can be driven electrically, in particular purely. The motor vehicle is thus designed, for example, as a hybrid vehicle or else as an electric vehicle, in particular as a battery-electric vehicle. In order to drive the motor vehicle electrically, in particular purely, by means of the electric machine, the electric machine is operated in a motor mode and thus as an electric motor. For this purpose, the electric machine is supplied with electrical energy or electric current, which is stored in the storage device.Since the motor vehicle can be driven electrically, in particular purely, by means of the electric machine, the electric machine is also referred to as a traction machine. Since the electric machine for driving the motor vehicle can be supplied with electrical energy stored in the storage device, the storage device is also referred to as a traction storage device.The storage device is, for example, a high-voltage component, the electrical voltage of which, in particular an electrical operating voltage or rated voltage, is greater than 50 volts, preferably greater than 60 volts, and is preferably several hundred volts. As a result, particularly large electrical powers, for in particular purely electric driving of the motor vehicle, can be realized. In particular, the storage device can be designed as a rechargeable battery or battery, in particular a high-voltage battery (HV battery). In particular, it is conceivable for the storage device to be designed as a lithium-ion battery. Of course, the previous and following embodiments can also be applied to other cell chemistries. The storage device is, for example, an electrical energy store for storing electrical energy, or the storage device is, for example, a component, in particular a module, of such an energy store. The energy store has, for example, a plurality of such modules, which can be electrically connected to one another.The storage device comprises at least one housing which has or delimits at least one receiving space. In addition, the storage device comprises at least one storage cell, also referred to as a cell or individual cell, which is accommodated in the accommodation space, in particular at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, and is designed for storing the electrical energy. The storage cell is designed, for example, as a battery cell, in particular as a lithium-ion cell. The memory cell comprises a cell housing. For example, at least one electrode of the storage cell is arranged in the cell housing. In addition, an, in particular liquid, electrolyte is arranged in the cell housing, for example, in which the electrode is immersed, for example, at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely. In this case, the storage cell has, for example, at least or exactly two contact elements, also referred to as cell connectors, terminals or current taps, wherein the electrode is electrically connected, for example, to at least one of the contact elements. Via the contact elements, they can be electrically connected to at least one further component of the memory device, such as, for example, to a further memory cell. In particular, the storage cell can provide the electrical energy stored therein via the contact elements, as a result of which the electrical machine can be supplied with electrical energy.The electric machine can also be operated, for example, in a generator mode and thus as a generator. The generator is driven, for example, by the moving motor vehicle and thus by means of kinetic energy of the moving motor vehicle, so that the generator converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy which is provided by the generator. The energy provided by the generator can be stored, for example, via the contact elements into the storage cell and can thus be stored in the storage cell and in the storage device as a whole.The storage device also comprises a cooling device which has at least one inlet via which a coolant can be introduced at least into a cooling region of the receiving space by means of the cooling device. The cooling region is, for example, the entire receiving space or the cooling region is only a part of the receiving space which is separated, for example, from a further part of the receiving space, in particular by means of a sealing device, and is in particular sealed against the further part. By means of the coolant, the storage cell around the outer circumference is to be cooled directly by the coolant. In other words, a direct cooling is provided or the cooling device is designed to provide a direct cooling. During direct cooling, the coolant, which is preferably designed as a fluid and is thus preferably gaseous or liquid, is introduced into the cooling region via the inlet, so that the coolant subsequently flows through the cooling region and in the process flows directly on and around the outer circumference of the storage cell and thus directly contacts or contacts it. As a result, an at least substantially direct heat transfer can take place from the storage cell to the coolant flowing directly onto and around the storage cell, as a result of which a particularly high amount of heat can be transported away from the storage cell in a short time. Preferably, the coolant is a dielectric coolant and / or a liquid, in particular a dielectric liquid such as an oil. Short circuits can thereby be prevented. In particular, direct cooling is to be understood as meaning that the coolant flowing through the cooling region and flowing directly around the storage cell directly flows directly on an outer circumferential lateral surface of the cell housing and flows directly around it, that is to say directly contacts or contacts it.The cooling device also has at least one outlet via which the coolant, in particular after it has directly contacted the storage cell on the outer circumference and thus cooled, can be discharged or discharged from the cooling region. This means that, within the scope of direct cooling, the coolant flows from the inlet to the outlet and thereby flows through the cooling region and directly flows around the outer circumference of the storage cell, in particular the cell housing, and thus touches it. In other words again, the coolant on its path from the inlet to the outlet directly touches the storage cell, in particular the cell housing, on the outer circumference, as a result of which the aforementioned direct cooling is realized.Thus, the invention preferably also includes a method for operating the storage device. In the method, the storage cell is cooled by the above-described direct cooling.In order to be able to realize particularly safe operation of the storage device, it is provided according to the invention that the cell housing has, in particular precisely, a region provided with a venting element for the targeted discharge of gas from the cell housing and arranged in the cooling region, as a result of which the gas discharged from the cell housing via the venting element and thus flowing out can be absorbed by the coolant and can be discharged from the cooling region via the outlet together with the coolant in the latter.For example, in the event of damage to the storage cell, which damage is caused in particular by an accident, a gas can be produced from the electrolyte, which gas can initially collect in the cell housing, for example. As the amount of gas received in the cell housing increases, a pressure prevailing in the cell housing increases. If the pressure exceeds a pressure threshold, the venting element selectively releases the cell housing or the venting element selectively opens the cell housing, so that the gas can escape from the cell housing. This makes it possible to prevent explosion of the storage cell. The feature that the cell housing is selectively ventilated by means of the ventilation element or that the gas can be discharged from the cell housing in a targeted manner by means of the ventilation element is to be understood in particular to mean that, when the pressure prevailing in the cell housing exceeds the pressure threshold, the cell housing opens first and / or exclusively through the ventilation element or at a location at which the ventilation element is arranged and not, for example, in an uncontrolled manner at another location, so that the gas can flow out of the cell housing in a targeted manner at the location at which the ventilation element is arranged and not, for example, in an uncontrolled manner at another location. For this purpose, the venting element comprises, for example, at least or exactly one opening, also referred to as a venting opening or outlet opening, and a rupture element, for example, designed as a rupture disk, by means of which the opening is closed when the pressure prevailing in the cell housing is less than the pressure threshold. If the pressure exceeds the pressure threshold, the rupture element burst, whereby the rupture element releases the opening. As a result, the gas can flow out of the cell housing via the opened opening, so that the cell housing can be specifically vented. The rupture element is configured in such a way that it is very likely to burst or open the cell housing before an opening of the cell housing is produced at another point in an uncontrolled manner, via which opening the gas could escape from the cell housing. For this purpose, it is provided in particular that the rupture element has, for example, a smaller wall thickness or a smaller stability or strength than the remaining cell housing.The gas and, for example, at least a part of the electrolyte can be discharged from the cell housing via the venting element. For example, the gas and the electrolyte form an electrolyte-gas mixture, also referred to as a mixture, which can be discharged from the cell housing via the venting element. If the gas is mentioned above and below, this can also be understood to mean the mixture.Since the region is arranged in the cooling region, when the venting element has opened the cell housing in a targeted manner as a result of the pressure prevailing in the cell housing and the gas and, for example, a part of the electrolyte can then flow out of the cell housing via the opened opening, the coolant accommodated in the cooling region or flowing through the cooling region can flow directly onto and / or around the region and thus, for example, the venting element. As a result, for example, the gas flowing out of the cell housing via the venting element or a mixture comprising the gas and the electrolyte from the cell housing and also referred to as a gas-electrolyte mixture can flow at least substantially directly into the coolant and thus be absorbed by the coolant. Since the coolant flows, for example, in the direction of the outlet or towards the outlet, the coolant takes along the gas or mixture received therein, so that the gas or mixture is transported in a targeted manner from the venting element to the outlet and in particular through the outlet and thus out of the housing or receiving space. This allows a targeted and advantageous discharge of the gas or the mixture from the cooling region and from the receiving space, in particular from the housing, to be realized.By means of the invention, for example, when the memory device has a plurality of memory cells, it is possible to avoid a thermal event occurring in one of the memory cells from being exceeded to another of the memory cells. Such a thermal event, which occurs, for example, in one of the storage cells, results, for example, from an in particular accident-related application of force or from an accident-related damage to the one storage cell, for example, and leads, for example, to the previously described generation of the gas in the cell housing of the one storage cell. Fundamentally or technically, the thermal event, which is also referred to as a thermal event or thermal event and in which one storage cell occurs, can also cause a thermal event in another of the storage cells, although in the other storage cell, viewed alone, damage or a thermal event would not occur. This can lead to a spread of the thermal event or to an overlap of the thermal event from the one memory cell to the other memory cell or to other memory cells, wherein this spread or this overlap is also referred to as runaway or thermal propagation.Since the gas and the electrolyte can be led away from the cell housing particularly quickly, in a targeted and effective manner, in particular in the case of the thermal event of the storage cell, and in particular can be led out of the receiving space or the housing, thermal runaway can be prevented or at least delayed for a long time, for example. In other words, it is thereby possible to prevent the thermal event that has occurred at the memory cell from also causing a thermal event of another memory cell of the memory device.The invention is based in particular on the following events: batteries or accumulator systems, in particular lithium-ion accumulator systems, usually have a plurality of interconnected modules which themselves have a plurality of interconnected storage cells formed, for example, from lithium-ion cells. The respective module is usually cooled indirectly, so that the respective module does not have to be sealed at the module level. In the case of direct cooling, however, a complete seal can be provided at the module or system level. The invention makes it possible to realize a particularly compact design of the storage device and at the same time safe operation, since, in particular in the event of a thermal event of the storage cell, the gas possibly arising in the cell housing can be effectively, efficiently and selectively conducted away and, for example, kept away from other storage cells of the storage device. In particular, excessive direct application of the gas and the electrolyte from the one storage cell to the other storage cells can be avoided, so that thermal runaway can be avoided.In particular, it is possible to lead the gas out of the cell housing from critical, unfavorable regions and to lead it to a favorable region in which, for example, the gas can be led particularly favorably to the surroundings of the motor vehicle. In particular, venting of the gas to the environment of the motor vehicle below the motor vehicle, also referred to as degassing, can be avoided. The cooling device has, for example, a cooling path through which the coolant can flow, wherein, for example, the cooling region, the inlet and the outlet are arranged in the cooling path. Thus, in the invention it is possible to transport away the GAs and possibly the electrolyte from the cell housing via the cooling path and thus to guide them away. By using the coolant, in particular via the cooling path, the gas or mixture, which is usually very hot and thus also referred to as hot gas or is formed as hot gas, is distributed from the cell housing of the continuous storage cell via or in the coolant. In particular, the gas or mixture is conducted by means of the coolant and in the same cells adjacent to the storage cell, but is distributed over the cooling path and in particular cooled by means of the coolant. This makes it possible to avoid excessive heating of the other storage cells and the other storage cells from passing through.In order to realize a particularly high level of safety, it is provided that the storage device has at least one component which is arranged outside the receiving space, in particular outside the housing, and in which the coolant which is discharged from the cooling region via the outlet and contains the gas can be received at least temporarily. For example, the component can be flown through by the coolant which is discharged from the cooling region via the outlet and contains the gas. The component is preferably formed separately from the housing and separately from the storage cell and is provided in addition to the housing and in addition to the storage cell. By using the component, the coolant and the gas or mixture contained in the coolant can be conducted in a particularly defined and targeted manner and, for example, discharged to the environment of the motor vehicle.The component has a further venting element. The previous and following embodiments relating to the first venting element can also be easily transferred to the further venting element and vice versa. By means of the further venting element, for the targeted venting of the component, the gas or mixture emerging in the component from the coolant at least temporarily absorbed in the component can be discharged from the component to its environment, in a targeted manner. In other words, the gas or mixture absorbed in the coolant can emerge from the coolant in the component, i.e. outgas it, for example, by being guided into the component by means of the coolant. For this purpose, the component, in particular its interior, has, for example, a first partial region in which the coolant can be or is accommodated at least temporarily. In addition, the component, in particular its interior, has, for example, a second subregion which adjoins the first subregion or adjoins the first subregion and is free of the coolant. The gas or mixture can now, for example, emerge from the coolant accommodated in the first subregion and flow into the second subregion. As the amount of gas emerging from the coolant in the component increases, a pressure prevailing in the coolant increases, for example. If the pressure exceeds a pressure limit, the further venting element opens the component in a targeted manner, so that, for example, the gas or mixture can flow out of the second subregion and thus out of the component at its environment.The further venting element comprises, for example, at least or exactly one further opening and at least or exactly one further rupture element, for example, embodied as a further rupture disk, so that the previous and following embodiments for the venting element of the storage cell can also be easily transferred to the further venting element of the component, and vice versa. It is furthermore conceivable for the further venting element to have a valve which opens, for example, when the pressure prevailing in the component exceeds the pressure limit, and thus releases the component in a targeted manner in such a way that the gas or mixture can flow from the second partial region or from the component via the valve to the environment of the component.A further embodiment is distinguished in that the cooling device has a cooling circuit which, in normal operation of the storage device, in the normal operation of which a discharge of gas from the cell housing via the venting element is prevented, can be flowed through or is flowed through by the coolant.It has proven particularly advantageous here if the component is connected fluidically to the outlet via a line element which runs outside the receiving space, in particular outside the housing, can be flowed through by the coolant discharged from the cooling region via the outlet and is arranged in the cooling circuit and can be flowed through or is flowed through by the coolant flowing through the cooling region and the outlet even during normal operation of the storage device. The line element is preferably formed separately from the housing and separately from the storage cell and separately from the component and is provided in addition to the housing, in addition to the storage cell and in addition to the component.The line element thus preferably has a dual function. On the one hand, the line element is used during or during normal operation in order to discharge the coolant flowing through the cooling circuit during normal operation from the outlet and thus via the outlet from the cooling region. As a result, for example, the coolant flowing out of the cooling region via the outlet can be guided back to the inlet again by means of the line element.Preferably, the component also has a dual function. For this purpose, the component can also be flown through by the coolant flowing through the cooling region and the outlet, for example, during normal operation of the storage device. Thus, the component is used, on the one hand, during normal operation in order to guide the coolant, for example. On the other hand, the component is used, for example, to degas the coolant, that is to say to guide the gas or mixture absorbed in the coolant to an advantageous location and to discharge it from the coolant and, for example, to conduct it to the environment of the motor vehicle. This allows a particularly high level of safety to be realized.Alternatively or additionally, it is provided that the component is fluidically connected to the outlet via a guide element which runs outside the receiving space and through which the coolant discharged from the cooling region via the outlet can flow and which runs, for example, outside the DC. The guide element can be flowed through exclusively when the gas is discharged from the cell housing via the venting element by the coolant flowing through the cooling region and the outlet. This means that the guide element is not used to guide the coolant during normal operation. Thus, for example, the coolant does not flow through the guide element during normal operation. However, when the gas or mixture is discharged from the cell housing in a targeted manner via the venting element, the guide element is used to discharge the coolant containing the gas or mixture, in particular in a particularly short path, from the cooling region via the outlet and to guide it to the component, in particular into the component. As a result, for example, a targeted and thus rapid guidance of the gas away from the cooling region and thus away from the storage cell can be realized. In particular, the guide element makes it possible to guide the gas on a particularly short path from the cooling region to the structural element. This allows a particularly high level of safety to be realized.In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the component is a compensating container arranged in the cooling circuit, in particular for compensating for volume and / or quantity fluctuations of the coolant. The compensating container has a particularly advantageous volume, so that the gas or mixture can be discharged particularly well from the coolant by means of the compensating container or in the compensating container. In the compensation container, the hot gas or mixture has the particularly advantageous possibility, in particular due to an advantageously large volume of the compensation container, of expanding and thus degassing from the coolant and finally, for example, reaching the environment of the compensation container via the further venting element.Finally, it has been shown to be particularly advantageous if the cooling device has a pump which is designed to convey the coolant via the venting element both during normal operation of the storage device and during the discharge of the gas from the cell housing into the cooling region and to the outlet and through the outlet. As a result, for example, the gas or mixture flowing out of the cell housing via the venting element can be transported away from the cooling region particularly effectively and efficiently and transported to the outlet.The invention makes it possible, in particular, to avoid costly venting elements at the module level and thus, for example, at the housing for the targeted discharge of the gas from the receiving space. At the same time, particularly reliable operation can be realized, since the gas and thus heat arising during the thermal event is transferred directly into the coolant, also referred to as coolant. In particular, the number of venting elements, for example designed as rupture disk systems, can thereby be kept particularly low, in particular at the module level.For example, a volume flow of the coolant, the volume flow of which flows, for example, via the inlet into the cooling region during the targeted discharge of the gas from the cell housing via the venting element, flows through the cooling region and in the process flows past the region or directly around the region, in particular is set by means of the pump and / or by means of at least one valve device. In particular, it is provided that the pump runs actively out of the cell housing via the venting element when the gas is discharged in a targeted manner and thus actively conveys the coolant via the inlet into the cooling region, through the cooling region and to the outlet. As a result, a subsequent flow of the preferably dielectric coolant can be realized. This means that not only does the coolant flow from the region of the storage cell to the outlet, but also new coolant flows from the inlet to the region, so that particularly large quantities of the gas or mixture can also be transported away from the storage cell effectively and efficiently.By using the guide element, the gas from the cell housing does not have to flow past the complete cooling path past other storage cells, but can be discharged from the receiving space or cooling region via the guide element, for example, before the gas in the coolant reaches other storage cells. The guide element can thus function as a forced-venting system, which is used only when the gas is discharged from the cell housing via the venting element and preferably only when the gas is discharged from the cell housing. This makes it possible, for example, to prevent the gas or mixture absorbed in the coolant from being guided from the storage cell to the other storage cell of the storage device by means of the coolant. As a result, the probability of the memory device passing through can be kept particularly low.In particular, the invention makes it possible to remove the gas or mixture from the coolant from the coolant again at a particularly advantageous point and to conduct it to the environment of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, for example, the component is positioned at an advantageous location on or in the motor vehicle. In particular, the component is positioned, in particular on or in the motor vehicle, such that a defined degassing direction can be selected or is realized. Furthermore, it is possible for the gas or mixture to be cooled or is cooled down so much on its way from the region to the structural element that, for example, when the gas or mixture is discharged to the environment of the motor vehicle, an expansion of the gas or mixture can be kept particularly low.A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle, which has at least one storage device according to the invention according to the first aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous configurations of the first aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous configurations of the second aspect of the invention and vice versa.Further advantages, features and details of the invention are evident from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawing. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.The drawing shows in: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a storage device according to the invention for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle; FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of the storage device; and FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of the storage device.In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with identical reference symbols.FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a storage device 1 for a motor vehicle preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle. Electrical energy or electrical current can be stored by means of or in the storage device 10. For this purpose, the storage device 10 comprises at least one housing 12 which has or delimits a receiving space 14. In addition, the storage device 10 comprises a plurality of storage cells 16 arranged at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, in the receiving space 14, in or by means of which the electrical energy can be stored. The respective storage cell 16 has a cell housing 18, in which an, in particular liquid, electrolyte is accommodated.Furthermore, the storage device 10 comprises a cooling device 20 which has at least one inlet 22. Via the inlet 22, a preferably liquid coolant can be introduced by means of the cooling device 20 at least into a cooling region 24 of the receiving space 14. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cooling region 24 is at least a predominant part, i.e. more than half, of the receiving space 14. By means of the coolant, which is shown particularly schematically in FIG. 1 and is designated as 26, the storage cells 16 around which the coolant 26 can flow can be cooled directly on the outer circumferential side. In other words, the respective cell housing 18 has an outer circumferential lateral surface 28. In this case, the coolant 26 introduced into the cooling region 24 via the inlet 22 and subsequently flowing through the cooling region 24 can directly flow on or around the respective outer circumferential-side lateral surface 28, in particular at least predominantly or completely, and thus directly contact it, with the result that an at least substantially direct heat transfer takes place from the respective storage cell 16 to the coolant 26. This realizes a direct cooling of the storage cells 16.The cooling device 20 also has at least one outlet 30, via which the coolant 26 can be discharged or is discharged from the cooling region 24, in particular after it flows through the cooling region 24 and has directly contacted and cooled the storage cells 16 in the process. In particular, the coolant 26 is discharged from the receiving space 14, in particular from the housing 12, overall via the outlet 30.In order to be able to realize particularly safe operation of the storage device 10 and thus of the motor vehicle as a whole, the respective cell housing 18 has a region B which is provided with at least the venting element 32 which is illustrated particularly schematically in FIG. 1 for the targeted discharge of gas 34 from the cell housing 18 and is arranged in the cooling region 24 and can therefore be directly supplied or surrounded by the coolant 26 flowing through the cooling region 24 and can thus be directly contacted, said region being for example a head or a base of the respective storage cell 16, in particular of the cell housing 18.For this purpose, the venting element 32 comprises, for example, an opening and a rupture element, which is designed, for example, as a rupture disk and by means of which the opening is completely closed when a pressure prevailing in the cell housing 18 is less than a pressure threshold. If, for example, a thermal event occurs in one of the storage cells 16, wherein the thermal event results, for example, from an accident-induced application of force or damage to the one storage cell 16, the gas 34 arises from the electrolyte in the cell housing 18 of the one storage cell 16. If the pressure prevailing in the cell housing 18 exceeds the pressure threshold, the rupture element burst, whereby the cell housing 18 is opened in a targeted manner at, in particular exactly, a location in which the venting element 32 is arranged, in particular without the cell housing 18 opening at another location different from the location. As a result of the bursting of the bursting element, the bursting element releases the openings, so that the gas 34 can flow out of the cell housing 18 via the released opening. As a result, the gas 34 is discharged from the cell housing 18 in a targeted manner without the storage cell 16 exploding in an uncontrolled manner.The gas flowing out of the cell housing 18 via the venting element 32 is denoted by 34 in FIG. 1. It is conceivable that, in addition to the gas 34, also at least a part of the electrolyte accommodated in the cell housing 18 flows out of the cell housing 18 via the venting element 32, so that the gas 34 and the electrolyte from the cell housing 18 form an electrolyte-gas mixture, also referred to simply as a mixture. If it was previously mentioned and is referred to below as gas 34, this can also be understood to mean the electrolyte or the electrolyte-gas mixture from the cell housing 18.Because the region B and thus also the venting element 32 are arranged in the cooling region 24, the coolant 26 flowing through the cooling region 24 flows past the venting element 32 or the region B or the coolant 26 flowing through the cooling region 24 contacts the region B directly, in particular even when the gas 34 flows out of the cell housing 18 via the released opening and thus via the venting element 32 and thus in the region B. As a result, the gas 34 flowing out of the cell housing 18 can flow at least substantially directly into the coolant 26 flowing through the cooling region 24 and thus be absorbed by the coolant 26. Since the region B and the venting element 32 can therefore be surrounded by the coolant 26 in the cooling region 24 and directly, the gas 34 flowing out of the cell housing 18 via the venting element 32 can be or is absorbed or absorbed by the coolant 26 and can be discharged or discharged together with the coolant 26 therein via the outlet 30 from the cooling region 24, in particular from the receiving space 14 and very in particular from the housing 12 overall. In addition, the hot gas 34 and thus, for example, formed as hot gas, can be distributed in the coolant 26 and is cooled by means of the coolant 26. As a result, for example, the probability that a thermal event occurring at one of the storage cells 16 also leads to a thermal event at another of the storage cells 16, at which a thermal event does not occur per se, can be kept particularly low.The storage device 10 has a component in the form of a compensation container 36 which is formed separately from the housing 12 and separately from the storage cells 16 and is additionally provided thereto and arranged outside the receiving space 14, in particular outside the housing 12. In the compensation container 36, the coolant 26 discharged from the cooling region 24 via the outlet 30 and containing the gas 34 is at least temporarily absorbed. In this case, the compensation container 36 has a further venting element 38, to which the previous and following embodiments can be easily transferred to the venting element 32 and vice versa. In FIG. 1, the opening of the further venting element 38, which opening is designed as a through-opening, for example, is denoted by 40, and the rupture element of the further venting element 38, which rupture element is designed as a rupture disk, for example, is denoted by 42 in FIG. 1. It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the opening 40 in its released state opens on the one hand or one end directly into the compensation container 36, in particular into the interior 44 thereof, and on the other end directly into an environment 46 of the compensation container 36, in particular of the motor vehicle as a whole. By means of the further venting element 38, for the targeted venting of the compensation container 36, the gas 34 emerging in the compensation container 36, in particular in the interior 44 thereof, from the coolant 26 at least temporarily accommodated in the compensation container 36, can be discharged from the compensation container 36 to the environment 46 thereof, in particular in a targeted manner. For this purpose, the coolant 26 containing the gas 34 is at least temporarily accommodated in a first subregion T 1 of the interior 44 of the compensation container 36, in particular in such a way that the coolant 26 flows through the subregion T 1. A second subregion T 2 of the interior 44 directly adjoining the first subregion T 1 is free of the coolant 26. as a result, the gas 34 in the interior 44 can expand and thus emerge or outgas from the coolant 26 and initially collect in the second subregion T 2, for example. As the gas 34 received in the sub-region T 2 increases, a pressure prevailing in the compensation container 36 increases. If the pressure exceeds a pressure threshold, the further venting element 38 opens the compensation container 36 in a targeted manner, so that the gas 34 is discharged from the compensation container 36 in a targeted manner.The cooling device 20 has a cooling circuit 48 through which the coolant 26 can flow or is flowed in a normal operation of the storage device 10. In normal operation, the storage device 10 is error-free, so that, in particular in normal operation, a discharge of gas from the cell housing 18 or from all cell housings 18 of the storage device 10 via the respective venting element 32 is omitted.In this case, the compensation tank 36 is arranged downstream of the cooling region 24 in the flow direction of the coolant 26 through the cooling circuit 48, wherein the compensation tank 36 is arranged in the cooling circuit 48. A cooling element 50 designed, for example, as a heat exchanger is also arranged in the cooling circuit 48, which cooling element can thus be flown through by the coolant 26. The cooling element 50 is arranged downstream of the compensation container 36 and upstream of the cooling region 24. The coolant 26 flowing through the cooling element 50 is cooled by means of the cooling element 50, whereupon the cooling region 24 can be supplied with the coolant 26 again. In addition, a pump 52 is arranged in the cooling circuit 48, by means of which pump the coolant 26 can be or is conveyed through the cooling circuit 48, in particular in normal operation. The pump 52 is arranged downstream of the cooling element 50 and upstream of the cooling region 24.For example, a first line element 54 is arranged in the cooling circuit 48, which is arranged downstream of the compensation tank 36 and upstream of the cooling region 24. The cooling region 24 is fluidically connected to the compensation container 36 via the line element 54, wherein the cooling element 50 and the pump 52 are arranged in the line element 54. Thus, in particular, the inlet 22 is fluidically connected to the compensation container 36 via the line element 54. Thus, the inlet 22 is supplied with the coolant 26 from the compensation tank 36 via the line element 54.In the cooling circuit 48, a second line element 56 is also arranged, which is arranged downstream of the cooling region 24 and upstream of the compensation tank 36. The line element 56 is formed separately from the housing 12, separately from the storage cells 16 and separately from the compensation container 36 and is fluidically connected to the compensation container 36 and fluidically to the outlet 30, such that the line element 56 can be flowed through or is flowed through by the coolant 26 discharged from the cooling region 24 via the outlet 30.It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the compensation container 36 can be fluidically passed through to the outlet 30 via the coolant 26 which runs outside the receiving space 14, in particular the housing 12 and through which the coolant 26 discharged from the cooling region 24 via the outlet 30 can flow, and is connected to line element 56 which is arranged in the cooling circuit 48 and through which the coolant which can be passed through the cooling region 24 and the outlet 30 can flow or is passed through even during normal operation of the storage device 10. The coolant 26 containing the gas 34 is thus guided from the outlet 30 by means of the line element 56 to and in particular into the compensation container 36. Also, in FIG. 1, arrows 27 illustrate a flow of the coolant 26 through the cooling region 24.FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the storage device 10. The second embodiment of the storage device 10 differs in particular from the first embodiment in that the line element 56 is fluidically connected to a further outlet 58 of the cooling device 20, wherein the outlet 58 is spaced apart from the outlet 30 and is provided in addition to the outlet 30. In the second embodiment, the compensation container 36 is fluidically connected to the outlet 30 via a second line element 60 which runs outside the receiving space 14, in particular outside the housing 12 and through which the coolant 26 discharged from the cooling region 24 via the outlet 30 can flow and which is also referred to as a guide element and which is preferably formed separately from the housing 12, separately from the storage cells 16 and preferably also separately from the line element 56 and is in particular provided in addition to the line element 56. The line element 60 can be or is flowed through or is flowed through exclusively when the gas 34 is discharged from the cell housing 18 via the venting element 32, by the coolant 26 flowing through the cooling region 24 and the outlet 30. It is preferably provided that, in normal operation, the coolant 26 does not flow through the line element 60. It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the line element 60 and thus the coolant 26 flowing through the line element 60 bypasses the line element 56, so that the coolant 26 can be guided by means of the line element 60 shorter paths from the outlet 30 to the compensation tank 36 and in particular into the compensation tank 36 compared to the line element 56. This makes it possible, for example, to prevent the hot gas 34 from being conducted to other storage cells 16. As a result, thermal runaway of the storage device 10 can be particularly well avoided or at least delayed.By means of the pump 52, the coolant 26 is conveyed both during normal operation and then, via the inlet 22, into the cooling region 24 and to the outlet 30 and through the outlet 30, when the gas 34 is discharged from the cell housing 18 in a targeted manner via the venting element 32. As a result, the coolant 26 not only flows from the region B to the outlet 30, but coolant 26 is also conveyed at least substantially continuously from the inlet 22 to the region B. As a result, the gas 34 and also, if appropriate, electrolyte and heat can be discharged particularly effectively from the storage cell 16 which has the thermal event.The compensation container 36 can be positioned in particular such that a defined degassing direction can be selected. In particular, it is conceivable that the gas 34 cools down strongly on its path from the region B to and into the compensation container 36, so that an excessive expansion of the gas 34 can be avoided.Finally, FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the storage device 10. In this case, the previous and following explanations relating to the storage device 10 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 can also be easily transferred to the modules 62 and vice versa. Also, in FIG. 3, arrows 64 illustrate a flow of the coolant 26 through the cooling circuit 48.List of reference characters10 Storage device 12 Housing 14 Receiving space 16 Storage cell 18 Cell housing 20 Cooling device 22 Inlet 24 Cooling region 26 Coolant 27 Arrow 28 Outer circumferential-side lateral surface 30 Outlet 32 Venting element 34 Gas 36 Compensating container 38 Further venting element 40 Opening 42 Bursting element 44 Interior 46 Environment 48 Cooling circuit 50 Cooling element 52 Pump 54 Line element 56 Line element 58 Outlet 60 Line element 62 Module 64 Arrow B Region T 1 First subregion T 2 Second subregion

Claims

Storage device (10) for storing electrical energy for a motor vehicle, having at least one housing (12) which has a receiving space (14), having at least one storage cell (16) which is received in the receiving space (14) and is designed for storing the electrical energy and has a cell housing (18), and having a cooling device (20) which has at least one inlet (22) via which a coolant (26) can be introduced by means of the cooling device (20) at least into a cooling region (24) of the receiving space (14), by means of which coolant the storage cell (16) around which the coolant (26) can flow directly on the outer circumference side can be cooled, and having at least one outlet (30) via which the coolant (26) can be discharged from the cooling region (24), wherein the cell housing (18) has a region (B) provided with a venting element (32) for discharging gas (34) from the cell housing (18) and arranged in the cooling region (24), as a result of which the gas (34) flowing out of the cell housing (18) via the venting element (32) can be absorbed by the coolant (26) and can be discharged with the coolant (26) therein via the outlet (30) from the cooling region (24), characterized byat least one component (36) arranged outside the receiving space (14), in which component the coolant (26) discharged from the cooling region (24) via the outlet (30) and containing the gas (34) can be absorbed at least temporarily, wherein the component (36) has a further venting element (38), by means of which, for venting the component (36), the gas (34) emerging in the component (36) from the coolant (26) at least temporarily accommodated in the component (36) can be discharged from the component (36) to its environment (46).Storage device (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cooling device (20) has a cooling circuit (48), through which coolant (26) can flow in a normal operation of the storage device (10), in the normal operation of which gas (34) is not discharged from the cell housing (18) via the venting element (32).Storage device (10) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the structural element (36) is connected fluidically to the outlet (30) via a line element (56) which runs outside the receiving space (14) and through which the coolant (26) discharged from the cooling region (24) can flow via the outlet (30) and is arranged in the cooling circuit (48), and through which the coolant (26) flowing through the cooling region (24) and the outlet (30) can flow even during normal operation of the storage device (10).Storage device (10) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the structural element (36) is connected fluidically to the outlet (30) via a guide element (60) which runs outside the receiving space (14) and through which the coolant (26) discharged from the cooling region (24) via the outlet (30) can flow, said guide element being capable of flowing exclusively when the gas (34) is discharged from the cell housing (18) via the venting element (32) by the coolant (26) which flows through the cooling region (24) and the outlet (30).Storage device (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the structural element (36) is a compensating container (36) arranged in the cooling circuit (48).Storage device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling device (20) has a pump (52) which is designed both during normal operation of the storage device (10), during normal operation of which gas (34) is not discharged from the cell housing (18) via the venting element (32), and during discharge of the gas (34) from the cell housing (18) via the venting element (32), to convey the coolant (26) into the cooling region (24) and to the outlet (30) and through the outlet (30).Motor vehicle, having at least one storage device (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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