Battery pack and energy storage device including the same

Abstract

The technical problem that this disclosure aims to solve is to provide a battery pack containing an insulating material having multiple holes formed in it, and an energy storage device containing the same. [Solution] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the technical problem, the battery pack includes a case having a housing space inside, one or more battery modules arranged in the housing space and containing a plurality of battery cells, a fire extinguishing pipe arranged in the housing space and containing a fire extinguishing agent, and one or more insulating materials arranged between the battery modules and the fire extinguishing pipe and having a plurality of holes formed at positions corresponding to the fire extinguishing pipe, and insulating materials covering the sides of the battery modules, wherein the fire extinguishing pipe melts at a temperature above a critical value and the fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing pipe can be discharged into the housing space.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0004] , , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and an energy storage device including the same.

Background Art

[0002] An energy storage device (ESS, Energy Storage System) is a system that stores the generated electrical energy using a lithium-ion battery or the like and can be used as needed. By utilizing ESS, it has become possible to use energy more efficiently in the stages before power generation, power transmission, substations, power distribution, and accommodation. As a result, it has become possible to use power with more uniform quality in the generation of new renewable energy such as solar power and wind power.

[0003] ESS is a system that stores the generated excess energy as it is or after conversion and can be used as needed. The battery pack used in ESS can include a plurality of lithium-ion batteries. Although lithium-ion batteries have high energy efficiency, the risk of fire is higher than that of nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries, and there have been cases of lithium-ion ESS fires occurring both at home and abroad. Therefore, it is necessary to install fire extinguishing equipment for suppressing fires in ESS, especially in lithium-ion ESS. For example, it must satisfy the certification of UL9540A, which is a large-scale fire test of the actual scale.

[0004] When thermal runaway occurs in a lithium-ion battery, a fire or explosion may occur, and the propagation of thermal runaway may occur to adjacent cells and modules. When the propagation of thermal runaway occurs, it is very difficult to respond due to the high fire intensity and continuous explosion risk.

[0005] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, conventional fire extinguishing systems employ a method of installing fire extinguishing pipelines that directly supply fire extinguishing agents between batteries in order to suppress fires. However, when a battery fire occurs, the strong ignition of the burning battery can melt a wide section of the fire extinguishing pipeline at once. When a wide section of the fire extinguishing pipeline melts, there is a problem in that the fire extinguishing agent cannot be concentrated and sprayed onto the burning battery.

[0006] The aforementioned information disclosed in the technology underlying such inventions is merely for the purpose of improving understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2633584 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a battery pack and an energy storage device including the same that solve the aforementioned problems.

[0009] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving technical problems, the battery pack includes a case having an internal containment space, one or more battery modules arranged in the containment space and containing a plurality of battery cells, a fire extinguishing pipeline arranged in the containment space and containing a fire extinguishing agent, and one or more insulating materials arranged between the battery modules and the fire extinguishing pipeline and having a plurality of holes formed at positions corresponding to the fire extinguishing pipeline, and insulating materials covering the sides of the battery modules, wherein the fire extinguishing pipeline can melt at a temperature above a critical value and discharge the fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing pipeline into the containment space.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving technical problems, the energy storage device may include a battery pack as described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to embodiments of this disclosure, by placing a heat insulating material with multiple holes formed within the battery pack to insulate a portion of the fire extinguishing pipeline containing the fire extinguishing agent, only the region of the fire extinguishing pipeline to which heat is transferred through the holes melts, and the fire extinguishing agent can be concentrated and discharged into the initially ignited battery cell.

[0013] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a fire suppression system with enhanced initial fire suppression capabilities can be constructed in an energy storage device including a battery pack as described above.

[0014] However, the effects obtained through this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and any other technical effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the disclosure below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] The following drawings accompanying this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the detailed description of the disclosure set forth below, serve to further illustrate the technical concept of the disclosure. Therefore, the disclosure should not be construed as being limited solely to the matters depicted in such drawings. [Figure 1] Exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] Perspective view showing the position where the fire extinguishing pipeline according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is arranged inside the case. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] Drawing showing the state where the fire extinguishing agent is ejected in the fire extinguishing pipeline according to a comparative example of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Drawing showing the state where the fire extinguishing agent is ejected in the fire extinguishing pipeline according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Enlarged view of the hole of the heat insulating material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] Enlarged view of the hole of the heat insulating material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] Enlarged view of the hole of the heat insulating material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] Side cross-sectional view of a battery cell in which the heat insulating material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is arranged. [Figure 11] Perspective view showing a part of the energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [[ID=​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of molten regions include a first molten region that melts at a temperature above a critical value, a plurality of battery cells include a first battery cell corresponding to the first molten region, and a fire extinguishing agent can be supplied to the first battery cell through the first molten region at a temperature above a critical value.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the multiple holes may correspond to the sides of two or three adjacent battery cells among the multiple battery cells.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape of each of the multiple holes may be at least one of the following: a rectangle, a square, a circle, an ellipse, or a shape in which the upper and lower semicircles are in contact with the straight section.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the length of each case along the longitudinal direction of the multiple holes may be smaller than the length of each battery cell along the longitudinal direction.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the length of each of the multiple holes along the thickness direction of the case may be greater than the outer diameter of the fire extinguishing pipe.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the center of each of the multiple holes may correspond to the height of the fire extinguishing pipe.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipeline can correspond to the ignition temperatures of multiple battery cells.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal insulation material may include at least one of a fibrous material, a fire-resistant material, and a reinforced polymer.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module arranged at a predetermined interval along the width direction of the case, and a fire extinguishing pipeline may be arranged between the first battery module and the second battery module.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal insulation material may include a first thermal insulation material placed between a first battery module and a fire extinguishing pipeline, and a second thermal insulation material placed between a second battery module and a fire extinguishing pipeline.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of battery cells may be arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the case.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the battery cells may further include an inter-battery insulating material that is placed between two adjacent battery cells.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the material for the fire extinguishing pipeline may include at least one of the following: polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide 6 (PA6), and polyamide 66 (PA66).

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the insulation of the battery pack may further include an upper insulation positioned between one or more battery modules, comprising a first battery module and a second battery module, and located above the fire extinguishing pipeline, and a lower insulation positioned between the first battery module and the second battery module and located below the fire extinguishing pipeline.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy storage device may further include a lower panel installed between the lower plate of the case and the battery cells to support the lower part of the plurality of battery cells and to block the fire extinguishing agent supplied through the fire extinguishing pipeline from moving to the lower plate.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the lower panel may include a panel body installed in a plate shape between the lower plate of the case and the battery cell to block the movement of the fire extinguishing agent; a first guide portion installed on the upper side of the panel body to form a flow path in the longitudinal direction of the case and guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent; and a second guide portion installed on the upper side of the panel body to form a flow path in the width direction of the case and guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent.

[0034] <Detailed description of the invention> Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and in the claims should not be interpreted in a manner limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a manner consistent with the technical idea of ​​this disclosure, in accordance with the principle that the disclosing party may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe their disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein and the configurations illustrated in the drawings represent only some of the most preferred embodiments of this disclosure and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​this disclosure, and that at the time of filing, there may be a variety of equivalents and variations that can substitute for them. Furthermore, as used herein, “comprise, include” and / or “comprising, including” specify the presence of the shapes, figures, stages, actions, members, elements and / or groups thereof mentioned, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other shapes, figures, actions, members, elements and / or groups thereof. Furthermore, when describing embodiments of this disclosure, the phrases "may" and "may include" "one or more embodiments of this disclosure."

[0035] Furthermore, to aid in understanding the disclosure, the attached drawings are not shown to actual scale, and the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated. Also, the same reference numeral may be assigned to the same component in different embodiments.

[0036] The statement that two comparison objects are "identical" means that they are "substantially identical." Therefore, substantially identical objects may include those with deviations considered low in the industry, for example, deviations of 5% or less. Also, the statement that parameters within a given region are uniform may mean that they are uniform in terms of averages.

[0037] Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe a variety of components, these components are, of course, not limited by these terms. These terms are simply used to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise stated, the first component may be the second component.

[0038] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise stated, each component may be singular or plural.

[0039] To place any component "above (or below)" or "above (or below)" a component means not only that the component is placed in contact with the upper (or lower) surface of the component, but also that other components may be interposed between the component and any component placed on (or below) it.

[0040] Furthermore, when it is stated that one component is “connected,” “bonded,” or “connected” to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or connected to each other, but may also be “interposed” between each component, or each component may be “connected,” “bonded,” or “connected” through other components. Also, when it is stated that one part is electrically coupled to another part, this includes not only cases where they are directly connected, but also cases where they are connected with another element in between.

[0041] Whenever the specification states "A and / or B," it means A only, B only, or A and B, unless otherwise specified. In other words, "and / or" includes all combinations or any combination of the listed items. When the specification states "C to D," it means C or greater and D or less, unless otherwise specified.

[0042] The battery module according to this disclosure includes a plurality of battery cells having electrode portions and arranged in one direction, a connecting tab connecting battery cells to adjacent battery cells, and a protection circuit module to which one end is connected to the connecting tab. The protection circuit module may be a Battery Management System (BMS). The connecting tab includes a body portion that contacts the electrode portions between adjacent battery cells, and an extension portion that extends from the body portion and is connected to the protection circuit module. The connecting tab may be a busbar.

[0043] First, a battery cell may consist of a case, an electrode assembly housed within the case, and an electrolyte. The electrode assembly and electrolyte react electrochemically to generate energy. One side of the battery cell may be provided with a terminal section electrically connected to a connecting tab, and a vent, which is a passage for venting gases generated internally. The terminal sections of the battery cell may be positive and negative terminals having opposite polarities, and the terminal sections of adjacent battery cells may be electrically connected in series or parallel by the connecting tab. On the other hand, although this specification illustrates a series connection, it is not limited to this structure, and various connection structures can be adopted as needed. Furthermore, the number and arrangement of battery cells are not limited to the structure shown in the drawings of this specification, and can be changed as needed.

[0044] Multiple battery cells may be arranged in one direction such that their broad faces face each other, and the arranged battery cells may be secured by a housing. The housing may include a pair of end plates facing the broad faces of the battery cells, and a side plate and a bottom plate connecting the pair of end plates. The side plate may support the sides of the battery cells, and the bottom plate may support the bottom of the battery cells. The pair of end plates, the side plate and the bottom plate may be connected by members such as bolts.

[0045] A battery pack may include a number of battery modules and a housing for housing the number of battery modules. For example, the housing may include first and second housings coupled in opposing directions with respect to the number of battery modules. The number of battery modules may be electrically connected using busbars, and the number of battery modules may be electrically connected to each other in series / parallel or mixed series-parallel configurations to obtain the required electrical output.

[0046] The battery pack includes at least one battery module and a pack housing having a housing space for accommodating at least one battery module.

[0047] A battery module may comprise multiple battery cells and a module housing. Multiple battery cells may be housed inside the module housing in a stacked configuration. Battery cells may be provided with positive and negative leads. Depending on the battery configuration, circular, rectangular, or pouch-type battery cells may be used.

[0048] A battery pack can consist of a single stacked cell array instead of a battery module. The cell stack can be housed in a compartment within the pack housing, or in a compartment partitioned by a frame, bulkheads, or other means.

[0049] Battery cells generate a significant amount of heat during charging and discharging. This heat accumulates in the battery cells, accelerating their degradation. Therefore, a battery pack may further include cooling components to suppress the degradation of the battery cells. Cooling components are located at the bottom of the housing space where the battery cells are housed, but are not limited to this location; they may also be located at the top or sides, depending on the battery pack.

[0050] Battery cells may have exhaust gases generated inside them under abnormal operating conditions, also known as thermal runaway or thermal events, that can be discharged to the outside of the battery cell. Battery packs or battery modules may be equipped with exhaust ports or the like for discharging exhaust gases to prevent damage to the battery pack or module from the exhaust gases.

[0051] A battery pack may include batteries and a battery management device for managing the batteries. The battery management device may include a detection device, a balancing device, and a control device. A battery module may include multiple battery cells connected to each other in series or parallel. Battery modules may be connected to each other in series or parallel.

[0052] The detection device can sense the battery's state (voltage, current, temperature, etc.) and detect state information indicating the battery's condition. The detection device can detect the voltage of each cell or battery module that makes up the battery. The detection device may also detect the current flowing through each battery module that makes up the battery module or battery pack. The detection device can also detect the ambient temperature of the cells and / or modules at at least one point in the battery.

[0053] The balancing device can perform balancing operations on the battery modules and / or cells that make up the battery. The control device can receive state information (voltage, current, temperature, etc.) of the battery modules from the detection device. Based on the state information received from the detection device, the control device can monitor and calculate the state of the battery modules (voltage, current, temperature, charge state (SOC), lifespan, etc.). The control device may also perform control functions (e.g., temperature control, balancing control, charge / discharge control, etc.) and protection functions (e.g., over-discharge, over-charge, overcurrent prevention, short-circuit, fire extinguishing function, etc.) based on the state monitoring results. The control device may also perform wired or wireless communication functions with external devices of the battery pack (e.g., higher-level controller, vehicle, charger, or PCS, etc.).

[0054] The control device may control the battery's charging and discharging operations and protection operations. For this purpose, the control device may include a charging / discharging control unit, a balancing control unit, and a protection unit.

[0055] A battery management system is a system that monitors the battery status and performs diagnostic and control, communication, and protection functions, and may calculate charge and discharge states, calculate battery life or state of health (SOH), cut off battery power (relay control) as needed, perform thermal management (cooling, heating, etc.) control, perform high-voltage interlock functions, and detect and calculate isolation and short-circuit conditions.

[0056] A relay can be either a mechanical contactor that is switched on or off by the magnetic force of a coil, or a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect transistor).

[0057] Relay control is a function that cuts off the power supply from the battery in the event of a problem with the vehicle and battery system, and may consist of one or more relays and pre-charge relays on the positive and negative terminals, respectively.

[0058] Pre-charge control can be equipped with a function that activates a pre-charge relay before the main relay is connected during vehicle startup to prevent inrush current from entering the high-voltage capacitor on the inverter input side when the battery load is connected.

[0059] A high-voltage interlock is a circuit that uses a small signal to sense whether all high-voltage components are connected to the entire automotive system, and can have the function of forcibly opening a relay if an open circuit occurs at even one point in the overall loop.

[0060] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Referring to Figure 1, a battery pack 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a case 110 having an internal housing space 112, one or more battery modules A1, A2 arranged in the housing space 112 and containing a plurality of battery cells 130, a fire extinguishing pipeline 140 arranged in the housing space 112 and containing a fire extinguishing agent, and one or more insulating materials 150 arranged between the battery modules A1, A2 and the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 and having a plurality of holes formed at positions corresponding to the fire extinguishing pipeline 140. The insulating material 150 can cover the sides of the battery modules A1, A2.

[0062] The battery pack 100 according to one embodiment consists of multiple battery cells 130, which may be circular, rectangular, pouch battery cells, etc., and are not limited in type or shape. The housing space 112 of the case 110 can be transformed into various sizes and shapes depending on the type and shape of the battery cells 130.

[0063] An embodiment of the present disclosure may be placed in all or part of the area where multiple battery cells 130 are adjacent. The thermal insulation material 150 can prevent thermal runaway by transferring heat to adjacent battery cells 130 even if a battery cell ignites within the battery pack 100. The thermal insulation material 150 according to the present disclosure may be formed integrally or separately, and multiple pieces may be placed.

[0064] Multiple holes may be formed in the insulation material 150 at positions corresponding to the fire extinguishing pipe 140. For example, multiple holes may be formed in the insulation material 150 in the portion adjacent to the fire extinguishing pipe 140. The insulation material 150 will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 6 to 11.

[0065] The fire extinguishing pipe 140 can melt at a temperature above a critical value, allowing the fire extinguishing agent contained within the fire extinguishing pipe 140 to be discharged into the containment space 112 of the case 110. The critical value may be the ignition temperature of the battery cell due to thermal runaway. More specifically, it may mean the surface temperature of the battery cell where thermal runaway first occurred.

[0066] Throughout this specification, the longitudinal direction D of case 110 may mean the direction parallel to the longer portion of the case, with respect to the top surface of case 110. The width direction W of case 110 may mean the direction parallel to the shorter portion of the case, with respect to the top surface of case 110.

[0067] An energy storage device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a battery pack 100 as described above. The energy storage device may further include a lower panel 120 installed between the lower plate 114 of the case 110 and a plurality of battery cells 130, supporting the lower part of the plurality of battery cells 130. The lower panel 120 can block the fire extinguishing agent discharged from the molten fire extinguishing pipe 140 from moving to the lower plate 114.

[0068] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 shows the external appearance of a case 110 of the battery pack 100, in which a fire extinguishing pipeline 140 is attached, and shows a structure that allows fire extinguishing agent to be supplied to the fire extinguishing pipeline 140.

[0069] The fire extinguishing pipeline 140 may be located in the housing space 112 of the case 110. The battery pack 100 is located outside the case 110 and may include a supply pipeline 143 that supplies fire extinguishing agent from a fire extinguishing agent source and a connecting pipeline 142 that is a passage connected to the fire extinguishing pipeline 140.

[0070] The fire extinguishing pipeline 140 in one embodiment may be in the shape of a sealed tube, but is not limited thereto. The fire extinguishing pipeline 140 has a material thickness and an inner diameter and an outer diameter. More specifically, the portion of the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 with a thickness greater than or equal to the inner diameter and less than or equal to the outer diameter melts completely, forming a through-hole in the exterior of the fire extinguishing pipeline 140, which can expose the fire extinguishing agent inside. For this reason, the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 can correspond to the ignition temperatures of multiple battery cells 130. For example, the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipeline can be set between 80°C and 300°C.

[0071] In the event of a fire event or thermal runaway occurring in a battery cell 130 within a battery pack 100 according to one embodiment, the fire extinguishing pipe 140 may melt, and the contained fire extinguishing agent may be discharged toward an adjacent battery cell 130. The cooling effect of the fire extinguishing agent discharged when a thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell 130 can block the propagation of the thermal runaway to adjacent battery cells 130 and / or battery modules A1, A2.

[0072] The type of fire extinguishing agent is not limited as long as it is a material that can suppress the fire caused by thermal runaway in the battery cell 130. For example, it may be a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance with a cooling effect. Gases include carbon dioxide fire extinguishing agents and halogenated fire extinguishing agents, solids include phosphate fire extinguishing agents and bicarbonate fire extinguishing agents, and liquids include acid-alkali fire extinguishing agents, enhanced liquid fire extinguishing agents, and foam fire extinguishing agents. Specifically, it may be any one of heptafluoropropane, cooling water-based fire extinguishing agents, and 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane. To prevent the propagation of thermal runaway, an appropriate fire extinguishing agent can be selected according to the battery cell capacity.

[0073] As mentioned above, the material of the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that can be melted at the ignition temperature of the battery cell 130 or the surface temperature of the battery cell 130 where ignition has occurred. For example, the material of the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 may include at least one of polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide 6 (PA6), and polyamide 66 (PA66).

[0074] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a fire extinguishing pipeline according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, arranged inside the case.

[0075] Referring to Figure 3, the multiple battery cells 130 constituting the battery pack 100 according to one embodiment can be arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction D of the case 110. There is no limit to the number of battery cells 130 that can be arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction D of the case, and multiple battery cells 130 can be arranged side by side to constitute a single battery module (A1 or A2). Furthermore, the multiple battery cells 130 can be arranged in series as shown in Figure 3, but they may also be arranged in parallel, and there are no limitations on the arrangement of the battery cells 130.

[0076] Referring to Figure 3, one or more battery modules constituting the battery pack 100 according to one embodiment may include a first battery module A1 and a second battery module A2 arranged at a predetermined distance apart along the width direction W of the case 110. The fire extinguishing pipeline 140 according to one embodiment may be arranged between the first battery module A1 and the second battery module A2. The heat insulating material 150 of the battery pack according to one embodiment may include a first heat insulating material arranged between the first battery module A1 and the fire extinguishing pipeline 140, and a second heat insulating material arranged between the second battery module A2 and the fire extinguishing pipeline 140. Therefore, the predetermined distance between the first battery module A1 and the second battery module A2 may mean a distance sufficient to accommodate the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 and the heat insulating material 150.

[0077] The number of battery modules constituting the battery pack 100 and the energy storage device including it according to one embodiment is not particularly limited, and there are no restrictions on the arrangement of the battery modules.

[0078] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermal insulation material 150 is not shown in Figure 4.

[0079] Referring to Figure 4, the battery modules constituting the battery pack 100 according to one embodiment are arranged along the longitudinal direction D of the case 110, and the fire extinguishing pipe 140 may extend along the longitudinal direction D of the case, spaced at a predetermined interval from the side of the battery module. Here, the predetermined interval may correspond to the thickness of the heat insulating material 150 placed between the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the battery module. Depending on the capacity of the battery cell 130, the thickness of the heat insulating material 150 may change, and the predetermined interval between the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the side of the battery module A2 may change depending on the thickness of the heat insulating material 150.

[0080] Since there are no restrictions on the number or arrangement of battery modules, the aforementioned side of a battery module can be any one of the four sides of the battery module. Also, as shown in Figure 4, the fire extinguishing pipe 140 may be in the form of a long pipe so as to cover all or part of the side of battery module A2. If a cell event such as thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell 130 corresponding to the side portion of battery module A2 covered by the fire extinguishing pipe 140, only the area of ​​the fire extinguishing pipe 140 adjacent to the battery cell 130 corresponding to the side portion of battery module A2 may melt.

[0081] Furthermore, since there are no restrictions on the type of battery cell 130 that constitutes the battery pack 100 according to one embodiment, such as circular, rectangular, or pouch battery cell, the side surface of the battery module may be curved rather than flat as shown in Figure 4, and in this case, a space may be formed between the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the insulation material 150. Even in this case, it is possible to design the system so that the fire extinguishing agent is concentrated and sprayed only onto specific battery cells 130 through holes formed in the insulation material 150.

[0082] Figure 5 is a diagram showing the spraying of a fire extinguishing agent in a fire extinguishing pipeline according to one comparative example of the present disclosure. In Figure 5, the illustration of the heat insulating material 150 is omitted.

[0083] In one comparative example of this disclosure, a battery pack may be provided in which a non-perforated thermal insulation material 150 covers the sides of the battery modules constituting the battery pack, and a fire extinguishing pipe 140 extends along the longitudinal direction D of the case 110, spaced at a predetermined interval from the sides of the battery module A2. More specifically, the thermal insulation material 150 may have gaps corresponding to the size of the fire extinguishing pipe in the area between the battery cell 130 and the fire extinguishing pipe 140, so that heat generated in the battery cell 130 can be directly transferred to the fire extinguishing pipe 140. Alternatively, separate thermal insulation materials may be placed above and below the fire extinguishing pipe 140. In the case of one comparative example, since no holes are formed in the thermal insulation material 150, if a fire occurs in one battery cell, the portions of the fire extinguishing pipe 140 corresponding to the sides of several battery cells 130 adjacent to the burning battery cell 132 are simultaneously melted and opened, resulting in a problem of a wide initial spray range for the fire extinguishing agent 144 contained in the fire extinguishing pipe 140. For example, as shown in Figure 5, there is one fire battery cell 132, while there may be seven battery cells 130 covered by the melted fire extinguishing pipe 140. In this case, the initial spray range of the fire extinguishing agent 144 will be a wide area occupied by the seven battery cells 130, and there may be unnecessary waste of fire extinguishing agent 144 in the battery cells 130 other than the fire battery cell 132.

[0084] Here, "initial" can mean the point in time when the fire extinguishing agent is sprayed as soon as the fire extinguishing pipeline is opened. Therefore, according to one example, the discharged fire extinguishing agent 144 may not be able to concentrate on suppressing the fire in the fire battery cell 132 where the event occurred, and the initial fire extinguishing power of the battery pack or energy storage device containing it may be relatively weak.

[0085] Figure 6 is a diagram showing how a fire extinguishing agent is sprayed in a fire extinguishing pipeline according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0086] Referring to Figure 6, the thermal insulation material 150 covering the side of the battery module A2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be placed between the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the battery module A2, and the thermal insulation material 150 can prevent the propagation of thermal runaway to the adjacent battery module A1.

[0087] The insulation material 150 may have multiple holes 152 formed in positions corresponding to the fire extinguishing pipeline 140. In this case, heat from the ignited fire battery cell 132 can be transferred to the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 through adjacent holes. Therefore, the area of ​​the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 to which heat has been transferred may be partially melted and opened, allowing the fire extinguishing agent 144 to be concentratedly sprayed onto the fire battery cell 132.

[0088] There are no particular limitations on the thickness or number of the thermal insulation material 150 according to one embodiment. According to one embodiment, each of the multiple holes 152 formed in the thermal insulation material 150 may correspond to the side surface of each of the multiple battery cells 130. For each battery cell 130, a hole 152 is located on the side surface, and heat transfer due to ignition of the battery cell 130 can be effectively carried out through the hole 152. In addition, the fire extinguishing pipe 140 may include multiple molten regions corresponding to the multiple holes 152. In the fire extinguishing pipe 140, the multiple molten regions may be formed on the surface facing the thermal insulation material 150, and are not shown in Figure 6.

[0089] More specifically, the multiple molten regions formed in the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 may include a first molten region that melts at a temperature above a critical value. The multiple battery cells 130 may include a first battery cell corresponding to the first molten region. The fire extinguishing agent 144 may be supplied at a temperature above the critical value through the first molten region toward the first battery cell. This allows the fire extinguishing agent to be concentrated on the specific fire-stricken battery cell 132 where ignition has occurred, thereby enhancing the initial fire extinguishing capabilities of the battery pack 100 and the energy storage device containing it. The critical value temperature may be, for example, the ignition temperature of the battery cell 130.

[0090] The material of the thermal insulation material 150 according to one embodiment may include, but is not limited to, at least one of fibrous materials, refractory materials, and reinforced polymers. For example, the thermal insulation material 150 may include at least one of MICA, aerogel, and fiber ceramic paper. The thermal insulation material 150 can be selected as a material that prevents heat corresponding to the surface temperature of a battery cell experiencing thermal runaway from being transferred to an adjacent battery cell or battery module.

[0091] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a hole in a thermal insulation material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] As illustrated in Figure 7, in one embodiment of the battery pack 100, the length of each of the multiple holes 152 formed in the heat insulating material 150 along the longitudinal direction D of the case 110 may be smaller than the length of each of the multiple battery cells 130 along the longitudinal direction D. In Figure 7, the longitudinal direction D of the case 110 refers to the X-axis direction.

[0093] In one embodiment of the battery pack 100, the length of each of the multiple holes 152 along the thickness direction of the case 110 may be greater than the outer diameter of the fire extinguishing pipe 140. This is because a molten region that penetrates the outer casing of the fire extinguishing pipe can only be formed by melting from the outside of the fire extinguishing pipe 140. In Figure 7, the thickness direction of the case 110 refers to the Y-axis direction.

[0094] In one embodiment of the energy storage device, the inner diameter of the fire extinguishing pipe may be 3 mm to 20 mm. In this case, the length of each of the multiple holes along the thickness direction of the case 110 may be longer than 3 mm to 20 mm.

[0095] In one embodiment of the battery pack 100, the center of each of the multiple holes 152 may correspond to the height of the fire extinguishing pipe 140. In other words, the center of the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the center of the multiple holes 152 in the Y-axis direction may be at the same height.

[0096] As described above, multiple holes 152 having the lengths and heights are formed in the insulation material 150. This ensures that even if a strong fire event occurs in a battery cell 130, the insulation material 150, 150a blocks the adjacent battery cell 130 or battery module area. Only the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 inside the hole 152 adjacent to the burning battery cell 132 melts, allowing the initial fire extinguishing agent 144 to be concentrated and sprayed towards the burning battery cell 132.

[0097] Furthermore, in this case, the fire extinguishing pipe 140 is most exposed to the hole 152 and is most likely to receive the most heat transfer due to the ignition of the fire battery cell 132. Consequently, the melting point of the fire extinguishing pipe 140 may be advanced. The earlier the melting point is advanced, the more the fire extinguishing function of the battery pack 100 and the energy storage device containing it may be improved.

[0098] As shown in Figure 7, the heat insulating material 150 of the battery pack according to one embodiment may further include heat insulating material 150a between multiple battery cells. Each of the heat insulating material 150a between multiple battery cells may be placed between two adjacent battery cells among the multiple battery cells. The heat insulating material 150a between battery cells minimizes heat transfer between battery cells 130 even if a thermal runaway event occurs, thereby preventing the propagation of thermal runaway between battery cells.

[0099] Furthermore, the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 may be placed between the battery cell 130 and the insulation material 150a, and the insulation material 150a may or may not have multiple holes 152 formed in it.

[0100] Figure 8 is an enlarged view of a hole in a thermal insulation material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] The shape of each of the multiple holes 152 formed in the thermal insulation material 150 according to one embodiment of this disclosure may be at least one of the following: rectangle, square, circle, ellipse, or a shape in which the upper and lower semicircles are in contact with the straight section. In Figure 7, each of the multiple holes 152 is rectangular, and in Figure 8, each of the multiple holes 152 is elliptical. However, there are no particular limitations on the shape of each of the multiple holes. The shape may be variable considering the cost of the manufacturing process or the application.

[0102] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a hole in a thermal insulation material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] Each of the multiple holes 152' in the thermal insulation material 150 according to one embodiment may correspond to the sides of two or three adjacent battery cells among the multiple battery cells 130. Referring to Figure 9, for example, in a battery module (A1 or A2) in which multiple battery cells are arranged side by side, holes may be formed in the thermal insulation material for each of two adjacent battery cells.

[0104] In this case, the length of each of the cases 110 along the longitudinal direction D of each of the multiple holes 152' may be smaller than the length of the case 110 along the longitudinal direction D of the area occupied by the two battery cells 130. In Figure 9, the longitudinal direction D of the case 110 refers to the X-axis direction. The length of each of the cases 110 along the thickness direction of each of the multiple holes 152' may be larger than the outer diameter of the fire extinguishing pipe 140. In Figure 9, the thickness direction of the case 110 refers to the Y-axis direction.

[0105] In this case, the center of each of the multiple holes 152' can correspond to the height of the fire extinguishing pipe 140. In other words, the center of the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the center of the multiple holes 152' in the Y-axis direction can be at the same height.

[0106] According to one embodiment, if a thermal runaway event occurs simultaneously in two or three battery cells within a battery pack, or if a thermal runaway that occurs in one battery cell can already propagate to adjacent battery cells, a wider molten area corresponding to hole 152', wider than hole 152 in Figures 7-8, is formed in the fire extinguishing channel 140. This allows for the early suppression of the fire in the thermally runaway battery cell 132, preventing damage to two or three battery cells and other adjacent battery cells 130.

[0107] More specifically, in this case, there may be two or three fire battery cells 132 corresponding to the first melting region of the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 that melts at a temperature above the critical value, and the fire extinguishing agent 144 may be supplied to the two or three fire battery cells 132 through the first melting region at a temperature above the critical value. The critical value may be the lowest ignition temperature or thermal runaway surface temperature among the two or three fire battery cells 132.

[0108] Figure 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a battery cell on which a thermal insulation material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is arranged. Figure 10 shows a cross-section of the thermal insulation material 150, 150b according to one embodiment at the location where a hole 152 is formed.

[0109] An embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first thermal insulation material placed between a first battery module A1 and a fire extinguishing pipe 140, and a second thermal insulation material placed between a second battery module A2 and a fire extinguishing pipe 140. This may be intended to minimize heat transfer between battery modules so that a fire in one battery module does not cause thermal damage to other battery modules due to conductive or radiant heat, leading to thermal runaway or ignition.

[0110] Other embodiments of the present disclosure of the battery pack 100 may include a case 110 having an internal housing space 112, a first battery module A1 disposed in the housing space 112 and containing a plurality of battery cells 130, a second battery module A2 disposed at a predetermined distance from the first battery module A1 and containing a plurality of battery cells 130, a fire extinguishing pipeline 140 disposed between the first battery module A1 and the second battery module A2 and containing a fire extinguishing agent 144, and a plurality of insulation materials 150b disposed together with the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 between the first battery module A1 and the second battery module A2 and including an upper insulation material 154 located above the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 and a lower insulation material 156 located below the fire extinguishing pipeline 140, with a plurality of holes 152 formed in the portion in contact with the fire extinguishing pipeline 140. The insulation materials 150b can cover the sides of the plurality of battery cells 130.

[0111] Referring to Figure 10, a battery pack 100 according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure may include, as described above, an insulating material 150 comprising a first insulating material positioned between a first battery module A1 and a fire extinguishing pipe 140, and a second insulating material positioned between a second battery module A2 and a fire extinguishing pipe 140, and an insulating material 150b comprising an upper insulating material 154 located above the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and a lower insulating material 156 located below the fire extinguishing pipe 140.

[0112] Referring to Figure 10, which shows a cross-section of the location where a hole 152 is formed in the thermal insulation material 150, 150b according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the hole 152 in the thermal insulation material 150, which includes a first thermal insulation material placed between the first battery module A1 and the fire extinguishing pipeline 140, and a second thermal insulation material placed between the second battery module A2 and the fire extinguishing pipeline 140, and the size of the hole 152 in the thermal insulation material 150b, which includes an upper thermal insulation material 154 located above the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 and a lower thermal insulation material 156 located below the fire extinguishing pipeline 140, may be the same. However, the size of the hole and whether the size of the holes between the holes in the multiple thermal insulation materials 150, 150b are the same is not particularly limited as long as the structure allows heat transfer to the fire extinguishing pipeline 140.

[0113] As illustrated in Figure 10, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the case of a battery pack in which both types of insulation materials 150 and 150b described above are all installed, the fire extinguishing function can be further improved. In this case, the battery pack is double-insulated through the two types of insulation materials 150 and 150b, and the multiple holes 152 are maintained, making the distinction between the molten region of the fire extinguishing pipe 140 and the insulated region of the battery cell 130 clearer, which can facilitate the control of thermal runaway.

[0114] Throughout this specification, the thermal insulation materials 150, 150a, and 150b may consist of a single or multiple members that block heat transfer between adjacent battery cells or battery modules.

[0115] Figure 11 is a perspective view illustrating a part of an energy storage device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0116] An energy storage device according to one embodiment may include a battery pack 100 as described above. The fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the molten fire extinguishing pipe 140 can move along a flow path formed in the width direction W and / or longitudinal direction D, with its movement to the lower plate 114 of the case 110 blocked by the panel body 124 of the lower panel 120. The lower panel 120 may include edge members 122 that project upward from the edge of the panel body 124 to support the sides of a plurality of battery cells 130 or a plurality of battery modules.

[0117] The lower panel 120 of the energy storage device according to one embodiment may include: a panel body 124 installed in a plate shape between the lower plate 114 of the case 110 and a plurality of battery cells 130, which blocks the movement of fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the molten fire extinguishing pipeline 140; a first guide portion 116 installed on the upper side of the panel body 124, which forms a flow path in the longitudinal direction D of the case 110 and guides the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipeline 140; and a second guide portion 118 installed on the upper side of the panel body 124, which forms a flow path in the width direction W of the case 110 and guides the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipeline 140.

[0118] The first guide section 116 is installed on the upper side of the panel body 124 and is deformable within a range that allows it to form a flow path in the longitudinal direction D of the case 110 and guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipeline 140. After the fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipeline 140 falls onto the panel body 124, it is guided along the first guide section 116 in the longitudinal direction D, thereby quickly suppressing a fire that has occurred in a battery cell adjacent to the first guide section 116 and preventing the propagation of thermal runaway to the adjacent battery cell 130.

[0119] The second guide section 118 is installed on the upper side of the panel body 124 and is deformable within a range that allows it to form a flow path in the width direction W of the case 110 and guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 144 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipeline 140. The second guide section 118 is located below the battery cell 130 and can form a flow path along the width direction W of the panel body 124 through which the fire extinguishing agent 144 moves.

[0120] The first guide section and the second guide section are connected, allowing for rapid horizontal movement of the fire extinguishing agent in contact with the upper surface of the panel body, thereby enabling early extinguishing of a fire.

[0121] For example, in the event of a fire, if the molten areas of the multiple holes 152 and the corresponding fire extinguishing pipes 140 melt down and the fire extinguishing agent 144 moves toward the lower panel 120, the first guide portion 116 and the second guide portion 118 can guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 144 in the width direction W and the longitudinal direction D of the case 110. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 100: Battery Pack 110: Case 112: Containment Space 114: Lower plate 116: First Guide Section 118: Second Guide Section 120: Lower panel 122: Edge member 124: Panel torso A1: First battery module A2: Second battery module D: Longitudinal direction W: width direction 130: Battery cell 132: Fire Battery Cell 140: Fire pipe 142: Connecting pipe 143: Supply pipeline 144: Fire extinguishing agent 150, 150a, 150b: Insulation material 152, 152': Hall 154: Upper insulation 156: Lower insulation

Claims

1. Cases with storage space on the inside, Arranged in the aforementioned housing space are one or more battery modules, each containing multiple battery cells, Arranged in the aforementioned containment space, a fire extinguishing pipeline containing a fire extinguishing agent, One or more insulating materials are placed between the battery module and the fire extinguishing pipeline, and have a plurality of holes formed at positions corresponding to the fire extinguishing pipeline, and the insulating material covers the side surface of the battery module. Includes, The aforementioned fire extinguishing pipeline melts at a temperature above a critical value, and the fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing pipeline is discharged into the containment space, in a battery pack.

2. The battery module is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the case, The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the fire extinguishing pipeline extends along the longitudinal direction of the case and is spaced at a predetermined interval from the side surface of the battery module.

3. Each of the aforementioned multiple holes corresponds to the side surface of each of the aforementioned multiple battery cells, The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the fire extinguishing pipeline includes a plurality of melting regions corresponding to the plurality of holes.

4. The plurality of melting regions include a first melting region that melts at a temperature above the critical value, The plurality of battery cells include a first battery cell corresponding to the first molten region, The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the fire extinguishing agent is supplied to the first battery cell through the first molten region at a temperature above the critical value.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of holes corresponds to the side surface of two or three adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the shape of each of the plurality of holes is at least one of the following: rectangle, square, circle, ellipse, and a shape in which the upper semicircle and lower semicircle are in contact with the straight section.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the length of each of the plurality of holes along the longitudinal direction of the case is smaller than the length of each of the plurality of battery cells along the longitudinal direction.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the length of each of the plurality of holes along the thickness direction of the case is greater than the outer diameter of the fire extinguishing pipe.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the center of each of the plurality of holes corresponds to the height of the fire extinguishing pipe.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe corresponds to the ignition temperature of the plurality of battery cells.

11. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the material of the thermal insulation material comprises at least one of a fibrous material, a fire-resistant material, and a reinforced polymer.

12. The one or more battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction of the case, The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the fire extinguishing pipeline is arranged between the first battery module and the second battery module.

13. The aforementioned insulating material is A first insulating material is placed between the first battery module and the fire extinguishing pipe, The battery pack according to claim 12, further comprising a second insulating material disposed between the second battery module and the fire extinguishing pipe.

14. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the case.

15. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising, each of the plurality of battery cells, an inter-battery insulating material disposed between two adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells.

16. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the material of the fire extinguishing pipeline includes at least one of polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide 6 (PA6), and polyamide 66 (PA66).

17. The one or more battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module, An upper insulating material positioned between the first battery module and the second battery module, located above the fire extinguishing pipeline, The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: a lower insulating material disposed between the first battery module and the second battery module and located below the fire extinguishing pipe.

18. An energy storage device comprising a battery pack as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. The energy storage device according to claim 18, further comprising a lower panel installed between the lower plate of the case and the plurality of battery cells to support the lower part of the plurality of battery cells and to block the fire extinguishing agent supplied through the fire extinguishing pipe from moving to the lower plate.

20. The aforementioned lower panel is A panel body is installed in a plate-like shape between the lower plate of the case and the plurality of battery cells to block the movement of the fire extinguishing agent, A first guide section is installed on the upper side of the panel body and forms a flow path in the longitudinal direction of the case to guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent, The energy storage device according to claim 19, further comprising: a second guide portion installed on the upper side of the panel body, which forms a flow path in the width direction of the case and guides the movement of the fire extinguishing agent.

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