Secondary battery module

Abstract

To provide a secondary battery module capable of improving energy density.SOLUTION: A secondary battery module of the present disclosure includes two cell stacks each including a plurality of unit cells and arranged along a first direction, a cooling plate arranged to be interposed between the two cell stacks, and a housing accommodating the two cell stacks and the cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet formed at a first side surface of the cooling plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a secondary battery module. [Background technology]

[0002] Unlike primary batteries, which cannot be recharged, secondary batteries are batteries that can be charged and discharged. Low-capacity secondary batteries are used in small portable electronic devices such as smartphones, feature phones, laptop computers, digital cameras, and camcorders, while high-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as motor drive power sources and power storage batteries in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and the like. Such secondary batteries include an electrode assembly consisting of a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case that houses the electrode assembly, and electrode terminals connected to the electrode assembly.

[0003] Batteries with high energy density (the amount of energy that can be stored per unit weight or volume) can provide longer runtime or driving distance in portable devices or electric vehicles. Therefore, the energy density of a secondary battery can be one of the important factors that determine the performance of the secondary battery. Furthermore, with the development of secondary battery technology, maintaining the performance of the secondary battery through thermal management is necessary. Efficient thermal management of prismatic aluminum-cased batteries is particularly important for maintaining the safety, performance, and long-term reliability of the battery. For example, the conventional thermal management method disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below mainly involves installing a liquid cooling plate at the bottom of the cell. However, this method has problems: it is not possible to achieve effective cooling when the cell height increases, and the thickness of the cooling plate increases as the cell weight increases, thereby degrading the energy density of the secondary battery.

[0004] The foregoing information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is intended solely to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and may therefore include information that does not constitute prior art. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0006085 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present disclosure provides a secondary battery module to solve the above technical problems.

[0007] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention set forth below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A secondary battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes two cell stacks, each including a plurality of unit cells, arranged along a first direction, a cooling plate arranged to be interposed between the two cell stacks, and a housing that accommodates the two cell stacks and the cooling plate, and the cooling plate may include a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet formed on a first side of the cooling plate.

[0009] A secondary battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of cell stacks, each including a plurality of unit cells, arranged along a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, at least one cooling plate arranged to be interposed between at least two of the plurality of cell stacks, and a housing accommodating the plurality of cell stacks and the cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate includes a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet formed on a first side of the cooling plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] A secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to employ a side cooling method, thereby effectively cooling the unit cells even if the height of each unit cell increases.

[0011] A secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can improve cooling efficiency by adopting a side cooling method.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cooling water inlet may be formed above the cooling water outlet. With this configuration, the cooling water that flows into the cooling plate through the cooling water inlet may circulate inside the cooling plate to cool the unit cells, and then may descend due to the influence of gravity and be discharged through the cooling water outlet.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cooling plate is fitted into grooves formed in the front plate, end plates, top plate, and bottom plate, respectively, so that the cooling plate can be stably fixed.

[0014] In one embodiment, one end of the partition wall is coupled to a first side of the cooling plate, and the other end of the partition wall is spaced apart from a second side of the cooling plate. This configuration provides a passage for circulating cooling water, and prevents low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the cooling water inlet from mixing with cooling water whose temperature rises as it circulates through the cooling plate, thereby enabling effective cooling by the cooling plate.

[0015] In one embodiment, the cooling plate may be a vertically extending narrow plate. With this configuration, when the cooling plate is interposed between a plurality of cell stacks, the proportion of the space occupied by the cooling plate in the secondary battery module can be minimized. Furthermore, minimizing the proportion of the space occupied by the cooling plate in the secondary battery module can improve the energy density of the secondary battery module.

[0016] In one embodiment, a gap filler can effectively perform heat exchange between the battery cells and the cooling plate, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling plate.

[0017] In one embodiment, both sides of the cooling plate are formed with an embossed or uneven shape, which can prevent the gap filler applied to both sides of the cooling plate from leaking out. Also, both sides of the cooling plate are formed with an embossed or uneven shape, which can increase the contact area between the battery cell and the cooling plate, thereby increasing the cooling area and cooling efficiency of the cooling plate.

[0018] However, the effects obtained by the present invention are not limited to or mentioned above, and other technical effects should be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention set forth below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] The following drawings and the like attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention to be given later, serve to further understand the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be analyzed by being limited to the matters depicted in such drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a secondary battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a secondary battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA′ of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section taken along line BB′ of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling plate 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a view showing a cross section CC' of FIG. 5 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]6 is a view showing a cross section taken along the line CC' of FIG. 5 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a secondary battery module 800 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] <Summary of the Invention> According to one embodiment, on the first side of the cooling plate, the cooling water inlet may be formed above the cooling water outlet.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the cooling plate may further include a partition wall that separates the interior space of the cooling plate.

[0022] According to one embodiment, a terminal on one side of the partition wall is coupled to a first side, and a terminal on the other side opposite the terminal on the one side of the partition wall can be positioned spaced apart from a second side of the cooling plate opposite the first side.

[0023] According to one embodiment, a third side of the cooling plate perpendicular to the first side, and a fourth side of the cooling plate perpendicular to the first side and opposite the third side, may be formed with an embossed shape.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the insulating film may further include a gap filler applied on the third side and the fourth side.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the size of the side area of ​​each of the plurality of unit cells may be equal to or greater than the size of the bottom area of ​​each of the plurality of unit cells.

[0026] According to one embodiment, each of the plurality of unit cells may include lithium iron phosphate (LFP).

[0027] According to one embodiment, the housing includes an end plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a first surface of the two cell stacks along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a front plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a second surface of the two cell stacks in the opposite direction to the first surface, and each of the end plate and the front plate may have a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the housing further includes a top plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a third surface of the two cell stacks along a third direction intersecting the first direction, and a bottom plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a fourth surface of the two cell stacks in a direction opposite to the third surface, and each of the top plate and the bottom plate may have a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the housing includes an end plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a first surface of the plurality of cell stacks along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a front plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a second surface of the plurality of cell stacks in the opposite direction to the first surface, and each of the end plate and the front plate may have a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the housing further includes a top plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a third surface of the plurality of cell stacks along a third direction intersecting the first direction, and a bottom plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a fourth surface of the plurality of cell stacks in a direction opposite to the third surface, and each of the top plate and the bottom plate may have a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

[0031] <Detailed Description of the Invention> Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the terms and phrases used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted in a limited manner based on their ordinary and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a manner consistent with the technical concept of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe his or her invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely some preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical concept of the present invention, and that various equivalents and modifications may exist as of the time of filing this application.

[0032] Furthermore, as used herein, "comprise," "comprising," "include," and "including" specify the presence of a stated shape, number, step, operation, member, element, and / or group, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other shapes, numbers, operations, members, elements, and / or groups. Furthermore, when describing an embodiment of the present invention, "may" and "may be" can include "one or more embodiments of the present invention."

[0033] In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the accompanying drawings may not be drawn to scale, and the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated. In addition, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same components in different embodiments.

[0034] A statement that two comparison objects are "identical" means that they are "substantially identical." Therefore, being substantially identical can include cases where there is a deviation that is considered to be a low level in the art, for example, a deviation of 5% or less. Furthermore, a statement that a certain parameter is uniform in a given region can mean that the parameter is uniform on average.

[0035] Although terms such as "first" and "second" are used to describe various components, it is understood that these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise specified, a first component can also be a second component.

[0036] Throughout the specification, unless specifically stated to the contrary, each element may be singular or plural.

[0037] The phrase "above (or below)" a component or "above (or below)" a component means that the component is not only placed in contact with the upper surface (or lower surface) of the component, but also means that other components may be interposed between the component and the component placed above (or below) the component.

[0038] Furthermore, when a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly coupled or connected to each other, but that other components may be "intervening" between the components, or that each component may be "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" via other components.

[0039] Furthermore, when a part is said to be electrically coupled to another part, this includes not only a direct connection but also a connection via another element therebetween.

[0040] Throughout the specification, "A and / or B" means A only, B only, or A and B, unless specifically stated to the contrary. That is, "and / or" includes all or any combination of the listed items. "C through D" means at least C and at most D, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0041] In this disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified in the context, singular expressions can include plural expressions, and plural expressions can include singular expressions. Throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain element, this does not exclude other elements, and means that other elements may also be included, unless otherwise specified.

[0042] In this disclosure, the size and relative size of layers, regions, etc. shown in the figures may be exaggerated for clarity of description. That is, the size shown in the figures is for ease of understanding only and is not intended to be limiting. In addition, the same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification.

[0043] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a secondary battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a secondary battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 is a view showing a cross section taken along line A-A' in Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 4 is a view showing a cross section taken along line B-B' in Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] 1 and 2, a secondary battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include two cell stacks (S) each including a plurality of unit cells 100 and arranged along a first direction (e.g., the direction of the Z1 axis in the figure), a cooling plate 110 arranged to be interposed between the two cell stacks (S), and a housing that accommodates the two cell stacks (S) and the cooling plate 110.

[0045] In one embodiment, the housing may include an end plate 130 connected to the cooling plate 110 and supporting a first surface of the two cell stacks (S) along a second direction (e.g., the direction of the Z2 axis in the figure) intersecting the first direction in which the two cell stacks (S) are arranged, and a front plate 120 connected to the cooling plate 110 and supporting a second surface of the two cell stacks (S) in the opposite direction to the first surface. Here, as shown in Fig. 4, grooves 122, 132 for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate 110 may be formed in the end plate 130 and the front plate 120, respectively. In addition, a passage 124 through which a cooling water inlet 112 and a cooling water outlet 114 pass may be formed in the front plate 120.

[0046] Additionally, the housing may include a top plate 140 connected to the cooling plate 110 and supporting a third surface of the two cell stacks (S) along a third direction (e.g., the direction of the Z3 axis in the figure) intersecting the first direction, and a bottom plate 150 connected to the cooling plate 110 and supporting a fourth surface of the two cell stacks (S) in the opposite direction to the third surface. Here, as shown in Fig. 3, grooves 142, 152 for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate 110 may be formed in each of the top plate 140 and the bottom plate 150.

[0047] In one embodiment, the cooling plate 110 may contain cooling water circulating inside the cooling plate 110 to cool the plurality of unit cells 100. A cooling water inlet 112 through which the cooling water flows may be formed on a first side surface of the cooling plate 110 along the second direction. A cooling water outlet 114 through which the cooling water flows may be formed on the first side surface of the cooling plate 110 along the second direction. Although the shapes of the cooling water inlet 112 and the cooling water outlet 114 are shown as cylindrical in FIGS. 1 and 2, they are not limited thereto. Therefore, the shapes of the cooling water inlet 112 and the cooling water outlet 114 may be rectangular parallelepiped or other shapes, different from those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0048] In one embodiment, the cooling water inlet 112 may be formed above the cooling water outlet 114. With this configuration, the cooling water that flows into the cooling plate 110 through the cooling water inlet 112 may circulate inside the cooling plate 110 to cool the plurality of unit cells 100, and then may descend due to the influence of gravity and be discharged through the cooling water outlet 114.

[0049] In one embodiment, the area of ​​the side surface of each of the unit cells 100 may be equal to or greater than the area of ​​the bottom of each of the unit cells. That is, the height of each of the unit cells 100 may be equal to or greater than the width. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the cooling plate 110 may have a plate shape extending elongated in the second direction and may be arranged to be interposed between two cell stacks (S). Therefore, the long side of the cooling plate 110 and the short side of each of the unit cells 100 may be arranged to face each other. That is, a side cooling method may be applied to the secondary battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. With this configuration, the cooling of the unit cells 100 can be effectively performed even if the height of each of the unit cells 100 increases.

[0050] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of unit cells 100 may include lithium iron phosphate (LFP). A cell including lithium iron phosphate may have a feature that its height is longer than its width. Therefore, the secondary battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may improve cooling efficiency by adopting a side cooling method.

[0051] In one embodiment, the plurality of unit cells 100 may be electrically and / or mechanically connected to one another. For example, the plurality of unit cells 100 may be electrically connected to one another via a bus bar (not shown) disposed at the upper end of the secondary battery module 10. According to one embodiment, by interposing an insulating member between the plurality of unit cells 100 included in each cell stack (S), the plurality of unit cells 100 may be electrically insulated from one another except for the bus bar. Additionally or alternatively, a heat insulating member and / or a spacer may be interposed between the plurality of unit cells 100 included in each cell stack (S).

[0052] In one embodiment, the end plate 130 may have a plate shape extending elongated in a first direction and may be connected to the side plates 160, 162, the top plate 140, and the bottom plate 150. As shown in Fig. 4, a groove for accommodating the cooling plate 110 may be formed in the center of the end plate 130. By fitting the cooling plate 110 into the groove of the end plate 130, the cooling plate 110 can be stably fixed.

[0053] In one embodiment, the front plate 120 may have a plate shape extending elongated in a first direction and may be connected to the side plates 160, 162, the top plate 140, and the bottom plate 150, respectively. As shown in Fig. 4, a groove for accommodating the cooling plate 110 may be formed in the center of the front plate 120. The cooling plate 110 may be stably fixed by fitting into the groove of the front plate 120. In addition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the front plate 120 may be formed with passages through which a cooling water inlet 112 and a cooling water outlet 114 pass.

[0054] In one embodiment, the bottom plate 150 may have a plate shape extending elongated in a first direction and may be connected to the side plates 160 and 162, the front plate 120, and the end plate 130. As shown in Fig. 3, a groove for accommodating the cooling plate 110 may be formed in the center of the bottom plate 150. The cooling plate 110 may be stably fixed by fitting the cooling plate 110 into the groove of the bottom plate 150.

[0055] In one embodiment, the top plate 140 may have a plate shape extending elongated in a first direction and may be connected to the side plates 160 and 162, the front plate 120, and the end plate 130. As shown in Fig. 3, a groove for accommodating the cooling plate 110 may be formed in the center of the top plate 140. By fitting the cooling plate 110 into the groove of the top plate 140, the cooling plate 110 can be stably fixed.

[0056] According to one embodiment, at least two of the plurality of plates 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, and 162 may be connected by welding. For example, both ends of the front plate 120 may be connected to one ends of the side plates 160 and 162 by welding. Additionally, both ends of the end plate 130 may be connected to the other ends of the side plates 160 and 162 by welding. In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of plates 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, and 162 may be connected by a mechanical fastening method (e.g., bolting, adhesive bonding, etc.) in addition to or instead of welding.

[0057] In one embodiment, the cooling plate 110 may include a partition wall 116 that separates the internal spaces of the cooling plate 110. As shown in Fig. 3, the internal spaces of the cooling plate 110 may be separated by the partition wall 116. Of the internal spaces separated by the partition wall 116, the upper space may be a space through which the cooling water flowing in from the cooling water inlet 112 circulates, and the lower space may be a space through which the cooling water passes to be discharged to the cooling water outlet 114.

[0058] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cooling plate 500 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 6 is a view showing a cross section taken along CC' in Fig. 5 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 7 is a view showing a cross section taken along CC' in Fig. 5 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] As shown, the cooling plate 500 may include a cooling water inlet 510 and a cooling water outlet 520 formed on a first side of the cooling plate 500 .

[0060] In one embodiment, the cooling plate 500 may contain cooling water circulating inside the cooling plate 500 to cool the plurality of unit cells. A cooling water inlet 510 through which the cooling water flows may be formed on a first side surface of the cooling plate 500 along a second direction (e.g., the Z2 direction in the figure). A cooling water outlet 520 through which the cooling water flows may be formed on the first side surface of the cooling plate 500 along the second direction. Although the shapes of the cooling water inlet 510 and the cooling water outlet 520 are shown as cylindrical in FIG. 5 , they are not limited thereto. Therefore, the shapes of the cooling water inlet 510 and the cooling water outlet 520 may be rectangular parallelepiped or other shapes, different from those shown in FIG. 5 .

[0061] In one embodiment, the cooling water inlet 510 may be formed above the cooling water outlet 520. With this configuration, the cooling water that flows into the cooling plate 500 through the cooling water inlet 510 circulates inside the cooling plate 500 to cool the plurality of unit cells, and then descends due to the influence of gravity and is discharged through the cooling water outlet 520.

[0062] In one embodiment, the cooling plate 500 may include a partition 530 that separates the interior spaces of the cooling plate 500. As shown in Fig. 5, the interior spaces of the cooling plate 500 may be separated by the partition 530. Of the interior spaces separated by the partition 530, the upper space may be a space through which the cooling water flowing in from the cooling water inlet 510 circulates, and the lower space may be a space through which the cooling water passes before being discharged to the cooling water outlet 520. By providing the partition 530 inside the cooling plate 500, a path through which the cooling water circulates inside the cooling plate 500 (for example, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5) may be provided.

[0063] In one embodiment, one terminal of the partition wall 530 may be coupled to a first side of the cooling plate 500, and the other terminal opposite to the one terminal of the partition wall 530 may be spaced apart from a second side of the cooling plate 500 opposite to the first side. Here, the first side of the cooling plate 500 may be the side on which the cooling water inlet 510 and the cooling water outlet 520 are formed. By coupling the one terminal of the partition wall 530 to the first side of the cooling plate 500, the cooling water that flows into the upper space within the cooling plate 500 through the cooling water inlet 510 does not descend into the lower space while traveling in a substantially horizontal direction (e.g., in the Z2 direction) until it approaches the second side of the cooling plate 500. Furthermore, by arranging the other terminal of the partition wall 530 spaced apart from the second side of the cooling plate 500, the cooling water that flows into the upper space within the cooling plate 500 through the cooling water inlet 510 may descend into the lower space only when it reaches the second side of the cooling plate 500. One end of the partition wall 530 is connected to the first side of the cooling plate 500, and the other end of the partition wall 530 is positioned away from the second side of the cooling plate 500, thereby providing a passage for circulating cooling water. Since the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the cooling water inlet 510 does not mix with the cooling water whose temperature rises as it circulates through the cooling plate 500, cooling by the cooling plate 500 can be performed effectively.

[0064] 6, a cross section taken along the line CC' of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be provided. As shown in the figure, cooling plate 500 can be separated into an upper space 532 and a lower space 534 by a partition wall 530 installed inside cooling plate 500. Here, upper space 532 can be a space through which cooling water flowing in from cooling water inlet 510 circulates, and lower space 534 can be a space through which cooling water passing through upper space 532 passes to be discharged to cooling water outlet 520.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 6, the cross section of the cooling plate 500 may be a rectangle with a height greater than a width. That is, the cooling plate 500 may be a narrow plate that is vertically erected. With this configuration, when the cooling plate 500 is interposed between multiple cell stacks, the proportion of the space occupied by the cooling plate 500 in the secondary battery module can be minimized. Furthermore, minimizing the proportion of the space occupied by the cooling plate 500 in the secondary battery module can improve the energy density of the secondary battery module.

[0066] 7, a cross section taken along the line CC' of FIG. 5 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. As shown in the figure, cooling plate 500 may be separated into upper space 532 and lower space 534 by a partition wall 530 installed inside cooling plate 500. Here, upper space 532 may be a space through which cooling water flowing in from cooling water inlet 510 circulates, and lower space 534 may be a space through which cooling water passing through upper space 532 passes to be discharged to cooling water outlet 520.

[0067] 7, a gap filler 540 may be applied to both side surfaces of the cooling plate along a first direction (e.g., the Z1 direction in the figure) intersecting the second direction. Here, the gap filler 540 may be applied between a battery cell arranged adjacent to the cooling plate 500 and a sidewall of the cooling plate 500. The gap filler 540 may include a material with high thermal conductivity or a thermal interface material. The gap filler 540 may effectively perform heat exchange between the battery cell and the cooling plate 500, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling plate 500.

[0068] In addition, the gap filler 540 may include a material having adhesive properties. By applying the gap filler 540 having adhesive properties between the cooling plate 500 and the battery cells, the cooling plate 500 and the battery cells can be tightly attached to each other. By tightly attaching the battery cells and the cooling plate 500 in this manner, heat exchange between the battery cells and the cooling plate 500 can be effectively performed, and the cooling efficiency of the cooling plate 500 can be improved.

[0069] 7, both side surfaces of the cooling plate 500 along a first direction (e.g., the Z1 direction in the figure) intersecting the second direction may be formed with an embossed (or uneven) shape. By forming both side surfaces of the cooling plate 500 with an embossed shape, it is possible to prevent the gap filler 540 applied to both side surfaces of the cooling plate 500 from leaking out. In addition, by forming both side surfaces of the cooling plate 500 with an embossed shape, it is possible to increase the contact area between the battery cell and the cooling plate 500, thereby increasing the cooling area and cooling efficiency of the cooling plate 500.

[0070] 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a secondary battery module 800 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in the figure, the secondary battery module 800 includes a plurality of cell stacks 810, each including a plurality of unit cells, arranged along a first direction (e.g., a Z1 direction in the figure) and a second direction (e.g., a Z2 direction in the figure) intersecting the first direction, at least one cooling plate 820 arranged to be interposed between at least two of the plurality of cell stacks 810, and a housing that accommodates the at least two cell stacks and the cooling plate 110.

[0071] In one embodiment, the housing may include an end plate connected to the cooling plate 820 and supporting a first surface of the at least two cell stacks along a second direction (e.g., the direction of the Z2 axis in the figure) intersecting the first direction, and a front plate connected to the cooling plate 820 and supporting a second surface of the at least two cell stacks in the opposite direction to the first surface. Here, a groove for accommodating the cooling plate 820 may be formed in each of the end plate and the front plate. Furthermore, the front plate may be formed with a passage through which a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet pass.

[0072] In one embodiment, the housing may include a top plate coupled to the cooling plate 820 and supporting a third surface of the at least two cell stacks along a third direction (e.g., the direction of the Z3 axis in the figure) that intersects with the first direction, and a bottom plate coupled to the cooling plate and supporting a fourth surface of the at least two cell stacks in a direction opposite to the third surface. Here, a groove for accommodating the cooling plate 820 may be formed in each of the top plate and the bottom plate.

[0073] In one embodiment, the cooling plate 820 may contain cooling water circulating inside the cooling plate 820 to cool the plurality of unit cells. A cooling water inlet through which the cooling water flows may be formed on a first side surface of the cooling plate 820 along the second direction. Also, a cooling water outlet through which the cooling water flows out may be formed on the first side surface of the cooling plate 820 along the second direction.

[0074] In one embodiment, the cooling water inlet may be formed above the cooling water outlet. With this configuration, the cooling water that flows into the cooling plate 820 through the cooling water inlet may circulate inside the cooling plate 820 to cool the unit cells, and then may descend due to the influence of gravity and be discharged through the cooling water outlet.

[0075] In one embodiment, the area of ​​the side of each of the plurality of unit cells may be equal to or greater than the area of ​​the bottom of each of the plurality of unit cells.

[0076] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of unit cells can include lithium iron phosphate (LFP).

[0077] In one embodiment, the cooling plate 820 can include partitions that separate the interior spaces of the cooling plate 820 .

[0078] In one embodiment, a terminal on one side of the partition wall may be coupled to a first side of the cooling plate 820, and a terminal on the other side opposite the terminal on one side of the partition wall may be spaced apart from a second side opposite the first side of the cooling plate 820.

[0079] In one embodiment, a gap filler can be applied to both side surfaces of the cooling plate 820 along a first direction (eg, direction Z1 in the figure) that intersects with the second direction.

[0080] In one embodiment, both side surfaces of the cooling plate 820 along the first direction intersecting with the second direction can be formed with an embossed shape.

[0081] The above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, and those skilled in the art with ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications, changes, and additions within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and it should be recognized that such modifications, changes, and additions fall within the scope of the claims.

[0082] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and accompanying drawings, since various substitutions, modifications and changes can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs without departing from the technical concept of the present invention.

[0083] Although the present invention has been described above using limited examples and drawings, it is not limited thereto, and it is of course possible for a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains to make various modifications and variations within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] S, 810 cell stack 10,800 secondary battery module 100 unit cells 110, 500, 820 Cooling Plate 112, 510 Cooling water inlet 114, 520 Cooling water outlet 116, 530 bulkhead 120 Front Plate 122, 132, 142, 152 groove 124 Passage 130 End Plate 140 Top Plate 150 bottom plate 160, 162 side plates 532 Upper space 534 Lower Space 540 Gap Filler

Claims

1. two cell stacks each including a plurality of unit cells and arranged along a first direction; a cooling plate arranged to be interposed between the two cell stacks; a housing that accommodates the two cell stacks and the cooling plate, The cooling plate includes a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet formed on a first side of the cooling plate.

2. The secondary battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling water inlet is formed above the cooling water outlet on the first side surface of the cooling plate.

3. The secondary battery module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate further comprises a partition wall that separates an internal space of the cooling plate.

4. 4. The secondary battery module of claim 3, wherein one terminal of the partition wall is coupled to the first side surface, and the other terminal of the partition wall opposite the one terminal of the partition wall is spaced apart from a second side surface of the cooling plate opposite the first side surface.

5. 2. The secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein a third side surface of the cooling plate perpendicular to the first side surface and a fourth side surface of the cooling plate perpendicular to the first side surface and facing the third side surface are formed in an embossed shape.

6. The secondary battery module of claim 5 , further comprising a gap filler applied on the third side and the fourth side.

7. The secondary battery module of claim 1 , wherein a side area of ​​each of the plurality of unit cells is equal to or greater than a bottom area of ​​each of the plurality of unit cells.

8. The secondary battery module of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of unit cells includes lithium iron phosphate (LFP).

9. the housing includes an end plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting first surfaces of the two cell stacks along a second direction intersecting the first direction; a front plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting second surfaces of the two cell stacks opposite to the first surfaces, The secondary battery module according to claim 1 , wherein each of the end plates and the front plate has a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

10. the housing includes a top plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a third surface of the two cell stacks along a third direction intersecting the first direction; a bottom plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a fourth surface of the two cell stacks opposite to the third surface, The secondary battery module according to claim 9 , wherein each of the top plate and the bottom plate has a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

11. a plurality of cell stacks each including a plurality of unit cells and arranged along a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction; at least one cooling plate arranged so as to be interposed between at least two of the plurality of cell stacks; a housing that accommodates the plurality of cell stacks and the cooling plate, The cooling plate includes a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet formed on a first side of the cooling plate.

12. The secondary battery module of claim 11 , wherein the cooling water inlet is formed above the cooling water outlet on the first side surface of the cooling plate.

13. The secondary battery module of claim 11 , wherein the cooling plate further comprises a partition wall that separates an internal space of the cooling plate.

14. 14. The secondary battery module of claim 13, wherein one terminal of the partition wall is coupled to the first side surface, and the other terminal of the partition wall opposite the one terminal is spaced apart from a second side surface opposite the first side surface.

15. 12. The secondary battery module of claim 11, wherein a third side surface of the cooling plate perpendicular to the first side surface and a fourth side surface of the cooling plate perpendicular to the first side surface and facing the third side surface are formed in an embossed shape.

16. The secondary battery module of claim 15 , further comprising a gap filler applied on the third side and the fourth side.

17. The secondary battery module of claim 11 , wherein a side area of ​​each of the unit cells is equal to or greater than a bottom area of ​​each of the unit cells.

18. The secondary battery module of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of unit cells includes lithium iron phosphate (LFP).

19. the housing includes an end plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a first surface of the plurality of cell stacks along the second direction intersecting the first direction; a front plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a second surface of the plurality of cell stacks opposite to the first surface; The secondary battery module according to claim 11 , wherein each of the end plates and the front plate has a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

20. The housing includes: a top plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting third surfaces of the plurality of cell stacks along a third direction intersecting the first direction; a bottom plate connected to the cooling plate and supporting a fourth surface of the plurality of cell stacks opposite to the third surface, The secondary battery module according to claim 19 , wherein each of the top plate and the bottom plate has a groove formed therein for accommodating at least a portion of the cooling plate.

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