Improved safety of battery packs
The battery pack design addresses the vulnerability to thermal events by using an intake and exhaust duct system with an opening/closing member to block vent gas, effectively controlling heat propagation and enhancing safety and energy density.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023555395
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2021-11-23
- Filing Date
- 2022-11-16
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-21
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-11-16
AI Technical Summary
Battery packs used in energy storage systems and electric vehicles are vulnerable to thermal events such as thermal runaway, which can lead to heat propagation and potential fires or explosions, due to the compact arrangement of battery modules.
A battery pack configuration that includes intake and exhaust sections for each battery module, with an intake duct and exhaust duct system that can supply cooling fluid and discharge it externally, and an opening/closing member that blocks the intake section when internal pressure increases to prevent vent gas from entering the cooling system.
This configuration effectively suppresses heat propagation between battery modules, prevents the spread of thermal runaway, and enhances the thermal safety of the battery pack, while also simplifying the cooling arrangement and potentially increasing energy density.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0162812, filed on November 23, 2021, and the entire contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of that application are incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present invention relates to a battery, and more particularly to a battery pack and an energy storage system including the same that can improve safety even when an event such as thermal runaway occurs. [Background technology]
[0003] In recent years, as demand for portable electronic products such as smartphones and smart pads has grown rapidly and robots, drones, and electric vehicles have become commercially available, active research has been conducted into high-performance secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged.
[0004] Currently commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. In particular, lithium secondary batteries have attracted attention due to their advantages of being free to charge and discharge because they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and a high energy density.
[0005] Although a secondary battery may be used alone, it is generally configured such that multiple secondary batteries are electrically connected to each other in series and / or parallel. In particular, multiple secondary batteries may be electrically connected to each other and housed inside a single module case to form a single battery module. The battery module may be used alone, or two or more may be electrically connected to each other in series and / or parallel to form a higher-level device such as a battery pack. Here, the terms battery module and battery pack may be used interchangeably.
[0006] Recently, with the increasing attention being paid to issues such as power shortages and environmentally friendly energy, energy storage systems (ESS) for storing generated power have been attracting much attention. Typically, the use of such energy storage systems makes it easy to establish a power management system such as a smart grid system, thereby making it possible to easily adjust the supply and demand of power in a specific region or city. In addition, as the commercialization of electric vehicles progresses, such energy storage systems can also be applied to electric charging stations that can charge electric vehicles.
[0007] A battery pack used in such an energy storage system, electric vehicle, or the like may include multiple battery modules. The battery modules may be connected in series and / or parallel to each other to increase the output, capacity, etc. of the battery pack. Furthermore, to increase the energy density of the battery pack, the battery modules may be densely packed together in a very small space.
[0008] However, when multiple battery modules are densely packed in a small space, they can be highly vulnerable to thermal events. For example, if a thermal event such as thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery module, the battery module may generate and release enormous amounts of heat or high-temperature vent gas. The released heat and gas may then cause thermal runaway propagation to other battery modules. Thermal control of the battery pack is extremely important because a chain reaction such as thermal runaway propagation could lead to a fire or explosion of the battery pack.
[0009] A typical conventional method for thermal control of such a battery pack is to supply cooling fluid to each battery module through a cooling duct to prevent a temperature rise. However, if a thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery module and vent gas is generated, the vent gas may flow into other battery modules through the cooling duct. Therefore, in this case, the thermal runaway may spread due to the vent gas, which may further intensify the thermal event. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0010] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack that can effectively control thermal events to improve safety, an energy storage system including the same, and a vehicle.
[0011] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the invention described below. [Means for solving the problem]
[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules each having one or more battery cells configured to store and release energy, and each having an intake portion and an exhaust portion formed therein; an intake duct having an intake channel formed therein and arranged to communicate with the intake portions of the plurality of battery modules; and an exhaust duct having an exhaust channel formed therein and arranged to communicate with the exhaust portions of the plurality of battery modules, wherein the plurality of battery modules further include an opening / closing member that closes the intake portion when internal pressure rises.
[0013] Here, the intake portion may be formed on a side surface of each battery module, and the exhaust portion may be formed on an upper surface of each battery module.
[0014] The air intake duct may also be configured to cover bus bar assemblies of the plurality of battery modules.
[0015] Furthermore, the intake duct may be configured to supply cooling fluid to the plurality of battery modules, and the exhaust duct may be configured to discharge the cooling fluid supplied to the plurality of battery modules to the outside.
[0016] Furthermore, the opening and closing member may be configured to open the intake portion when the cooling fluid is supplied through the intake duct.
[0017] Furthermore, the opening / closing member may be configured to close the intake port when vent gas is generated inside the battery module.
[0018] Furthermore, the opening and closing member may be configured to be hinged and pivotable to open and close the intake section.
[0019] Furthermore, the exhaust duct may have a plurality of inlets formed therein corresponding to the exhaust portions of the battery modules.
[0020] Furthermore, the exhaust duct may include a blocking portion that blocks gas that has flowed into at least one of the plurality of inlets from flowing into other inlets.
[0021] In order to achieve the above object, an energy storage system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a battery pack according to the present invention.
[0022] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, a vehicle according to yet another aspect of the present invention includes a battery pack according to the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]
[0023] According to the present invention, in a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules, heat propagation between the battery modules can be effectively suppressed.
[0024] In particular, when heat or gas is generated in a specific battery module due to an event such as thermal runaway, the generated heat or gas can be more effectively blocked from being transferred to other modules via the cooling flow path.
[0025] Therefore, according to this aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the spread of fire or explosion due to heat propagation between battery modules, and further improve the thermal safety of the battery pack.
[0026] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a cooling structure of the battery pack is utilized, eliminating the need to secure a separate space for exhaust air. Therefore, this aspect can be advantageous in simplifying the structure of the battery pack and improving the energy density.
[0027] In addition to the above, various other effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. These various effects of the present invention will be explained in more detail in the respective examples, and explanations of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted.
[0028] The drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical concepts of the present invention as well as the content of the invention, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters depicted in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the configuration of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing one battery module included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the configuration in which some of the components of FIG. 3 are removed. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of a cooling fluid flow configuration viewed from above in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which an intake port is closed by vent gas in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration in which the opening / closing member is open in the battery module of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a top view of the opening and closing configuration of an opening and closing member according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 9] 1 is a bottom perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of an exhaust duct included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of an exhaust duct included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 3 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a portion of an exhaust duct included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a portion of an exhaust duct provided in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventors themselves can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best explain the invention.
[0031] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor at the time of this application.
[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the configuration of FIG.
[0033] 1 and 2, a battery pack according to the present invention includes a battery module 100, an intake duct 200, and an exhaust duct 300.
[0034] The battery module 100 may be configured to include one or more battery cells and store and release energy. Here, each battery cell may refer to a secondary battery. One or more battery modules 100 may be included in a battery pack. In particular, to improve the capacity and / or output of the battery pack, a plurality of battery modules 100 may be included in the battery pack, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this case, the plurality of battery modules 100 may be stacked in at least one direction. As an example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a configuration in which eight battery modules 100 are arranged in the X-axis direction (left-right direction).
[0035] An example of a more specific configuration of such a battery module 100 is shown more specifically in FIGS.
[0036] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one battery module 100 included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view in which some components of Fig. 3 are removed.
[0037] 3 and 4, the battery module 100 may include a battery cell 110 (secondary battery).
[0038] Here, the battery cell 110 may include an electrode assembly, an electrolytic solution (electrolyte), and a battery case. Although a pouch-type secondary battery is shown in Figures 3 and 4, other types of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries, may also be included in the battery module 100.
[0039] A plurality of such secondary batteries may be included. For example, as shown in the figure, a cell assembly may be formed by stacking a plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries horizontally in a vertical direction. In this case, the electrode leads 111 of each battery may be in direct contact with each other or may be electrically connected via a bus bar or the like.
[0040] In particular, the battery module 100 may have an intake part I1 and an exhaust part O1. Here, the intake part I1 and the exhaust part O1 may be configured to communicate with the internal space of the battery module 100. That is, the battery module 100 may have the intake part I1 and the exhaust part O1 to communicate with the internal space, particularly the space in which the battery cells 110 are accommodated. In particular, the intake part I1 may be configured to allow gas to flow into the internal space in which the battery cells 110 are located. Alternatively, the exhaust part O1 may be configured to exhaust gas from the internal space in which the battery cells 110 are located to the outside.
[0041] Furthermore, the battery module 100 may include a module case 120 and a bus bar assembly 130, as shown in FIGS.
[0042] Here, the module case 120 may be configured to accommodate one or more battery cells, i.e., secondary batteries, in its internal space. For example, as shown in the figure, the module case 120 may include an upper plate 121, a lower plate 122, and a side plate 123. By combining these multiple plates, a battery assembly can be accommodated in a limited internal space.
[0043] Here, some plates included in the module case 120, for example, the bottom plate 122 and the side plates 123 (left and right plates), may be configured as an integrated unit. In this case, the integrated unit of the bottom plate 122 and the side plates 123 may be substantially U-shaped. Alternatively, the bottom plate 122, the side plates 123, and the top plate 121 may be configured as a tubular monoframe (single plate) integrated with each other. The plates of such a module case 120 may define an internal space when coupled together. The cell assemblies may be accommodated in this internal space.
[0044] In this manner, with the internal space accommodating the battery cells 110 being limited by the module case 120, the module case 120 may have an intake portion I1 and an exhaust portion O1 to communicate with the limited internal space. In particular, the intake portion I1 and / or the exhaust portion O1 may be formed in the shape of a hole that passes through a portion of the module case 120. However, the present invention is not limited to such a specific shape of the intake portion I1 and the exhaust portion O1, and the intake portion I1 and the exhaust portion O1 may be configured in various forms as long as they open the internal space of the module case 120.
[0045] The battery module 100 may also include module terminals 140. For example, the electrode leads 111 of each battery cell 110 may be located at the front and / or rear of the battery module 100, and the module terminals 140 may be located in a form electrically connected to the electrode leads 111. In particular, the module terminals 140 may be located at the front and / or rear of the battery module 100 and configured to protrude forward and / or backward. Each battery module 100 may also include a positive module terminal (+) and a negative module terminal (-) as the module terminals 140. In this case, the positive module terminal (+) and the negative module terminal (-) may be located on the same side of the battery module 100, for example, on the front side (-Y-axis direction) as shown in the figure. The module terminals 140 may allow the secondary batteries (battery cells) 110 included in the battery module 100 to be electrically connected to other components outside the battery module 100, for example, other battery modules 100.
[0046] The intake duct 200 may have an intake channel, such as the portion indicated by C1 in FIG. 2 . The intake channel C1 may be configured to allow a fluid, for example, a gas, to flow inside the intake duct 200. In particular, the intake duct 200 may be arranged to communicate with the intake portions I1 of the plurality of battery modules 100 included in the battery pack. That is, an intake portion I1 may be formed for each battery module 100, and the intake duct 200 may be connected to the intake portion I1 of each battery module 100, and configured to allow the fluid inside the intake duct 200 to move to the intake portion I1.
[0047] The exhaust duct 300 may have an exhaust channel, such as the portion indicated by C2 in FIG. 2 . The exhaust channel C2 may be configured to allow a fluid, such as gas, to flow inside the exhaust duct 300. In particular, the exhaust duct 300 may be arranged to communicate with the exhaust portions O1 of a plurality of battery modules 100. That is, an exhaust portion O1 may be formed for each battery module 100, and the exhaust duct 300 may be connected to the exhaust portion O1 of each battery module 100, such that the fluid in the exhaust portion O1 of each battery module 100 can move to the exhaust duct 300.
[0048] In this configuration, the battery module 100 may include an opening / closing member 150. The opening / closing member 150 may be configured to perform opening and closing operations. Furthermore, the opening / closing member 150 may be configured to open or close (seal) the intake part I1. In particular, the opening / closing member 150 may be provided on the intake part I1 side and configured to close the intake part I1 when the internal pressure of the battery module 100 increases.
[0049] That is, the opening / closing member 150 may be configured to open the intake part I1 when the internal pressure of the battery module 100 is below a certain level, and to close the intake part I1 when the internal pressure of the battery module 100 is equal to or greater than the certain level. Here, the closing operation of the opening / closing member 150 may be performed in a form in which the opening / closing member 150 completely or partially blocks the intake part I1.
[0050] In particular, the intake section I1 of each battery module 100 may be configured to communicate with the intake duct 200. Therefore, the opening / closing member 150 may be configured to allow or block communication between the intake channel C1 of the intake duct 200 and the intake section I1 depending on the internal pressure of the battery module 100.
[0051] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the safety of the battery pack can be improved by the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member 150. Furthermore, if the internal pressure of a specific battery module 100 among the plurality of battery modules 100 increases, it can be predicted that the battery module 100 is abnormal. In this case, if the intake section I1 is closed by the closing operation of the opening and closing member 150, the discharge of heat and the like to the intake duct 200 may be reduced or blocked. Therefore, the propagation of a thermal event between the battery modules 100 via the intake duct 200, such as thermal runaway propagation, can be prevented.
[0052] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present invention, the opening / closing member 150 can perform an automatic opening / closing operation. In particular, the opening / closing member 150 can automatically open when the internal pressure of the battery module 100 increases due to the generation of vent gas or the like. In addition, the opening / closing member 150 can automatically close when the internal pressure of the battery module 100 falls below a certain level. That is, according to this aspect of the present invention, a separate device, such as a motor, that provides a driving force for opening and closing the opening / closing member 150 is not required. Also, according to this aspect of the present invention, it is not necessary to apply a separate control signal to the opening / closing member 150 to open or close it.
[0053] The intake part I1 may be formed on a side surface of each battery module 100. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the intake part I1 may be formed on a front side surface and a rear side surface of each battery module 100. That is, each battery module 100 may have four sides in each of the front-rear and left-right directions. In this case, when the plurality of battery modules 100 are arranged in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), an intake part I1 may be formed on each of the side surfaces at both ends in the front-rear direction. In this case, it can be said that two intake parts I1 are formed for each battery module 100. In particular, the intake part I1 may be formed in the module case 120 of the battery module 100. For example, the intake part I1 may be configured in the shape of a hole or a notch formed in the module case 120.
[0054] The exhaust part O1 may be formed on the upper surface of each battery module 100. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the exhaust part O1 may be formed on the upper part of each of the plurality of battery modules 100 arranged in the left-right direction. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an upper plate 121 serving as a module case 120 may be located on the upper side of the battery module 100. The exhaust part O1 may be formed on the upper plate 121. In this case, the exhaust part O1 may be configured in the shape of a hole or a notch formed in the upper plate 121.
[0055] Corresponding to such a configuration of the intake section I1 and the exhaust section O1, the intake duct 200 may be located on the side of the plurality of battery modules 100, particularly in front and behind the plurality of battery modules 100, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. And the exhaust duct 300 may be located above the plurality of battery modules 100, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
[0056] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the cooling and / or venting performance of the battery pack can be stably ensured. In particular, the cooling gas flowing into each battery module 100 through the intake part I1 may absorb heat from the battery cells and increase in temperature. The increased-temperature cooling gas can then be guided to the upper part of each battery module 100. In this case, if the exhaust part O1 is formed on the upper side of each battery module 100, the cooling gas inside each battery module 100 can be more smoothly discharged to the outside of the module, particularly to the exhaust duct 300, through the upper exhaust part O1. In addition, when vent gas is generated inside each battery module 100, the vent gas has a high temperature and tends to flow upward from the internal space of the battery module 100. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the vent gas can be more smoothly discharged through the exhaust part O1 and the exhaust duct 300 located on the upper side of the battery module 100.
[0057] Also, according to the above embodiment, the intake duct 200 may be located on the side of the battery module 100, and the exhaust duct 300 may be located on the upper side of the battery module 100. In this case, the intake duct 200 and the exhaust duct 300 are located outside the battery pack and can function as at least a part of the pack case.
[0058] Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery pack according to the present invention may further include a side case 400. The side case 400 may be configured to cover at least a portion of the stack of battery modules 100. The side case 400 may be coupled to the intake duct 200 and / or the exhaust duct 300. In particular, the side case 400 may have air intake holes indicated by H1 and H2. The air intake holes H1 and H2 may be configured to communicate with the intake channel C1 of the intake duct 200. For example, the first air intake hole H1 may be configured to communicate with the intake channel C1 of the first air intake duct 210 located on the front side. Furthermore, the second air intake hole H2 may be configured to communicate with the intake channel C1 of the second air intake duct 220 located on the rear side.
[0059] In this embodiment, the intake duct 200, the exhaust duct 300, and the side case 400 may function as various components of a pack case. In particular, a battery pack may include a plurality of battery modules 100 and electrical components such as a battery management system (BMS). In this case, the intake duct 200, the exhaust duct 300, and the side case 400 may be configured to be at least partially coupled to each other and to cover the battery modules 100 or the electrical components from the outside. For example, the intake duct 200 and the exhaust duct 300 may cover the front and rear of the module stack. Furthermore, electrical components may be located on the left side of the module stack, and the side case 400 may be configured to cover the electrical components and the left side of the module stack.
[0060] Meanwhile, the air intake duct 200 may be configured to cover the bus bar assemblies 130 of the plurality of battery modules 100. In particular, the module case 120 of each battery module 100 may be configured to have at least one side open, and the electrode leads 111 of the cell assemblies may be configured to be located in the open portion. In this case, the open portion of the module case 120 where the electrode leads are located may constitute the air intake section I1 of each battery module 100.
[0061] In particular, the battery module 100 may include a busbar assembly 130, which may be coupled to the open portion of the module case 120. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the busbar assembly 130 may be coupled to the front and rear open portions of the module case 120, i.e., the air intake portion I1 side. Electrode leads 111 of the cell assemblies may be located in the front and rear portions of the module case 120, and the busbar assembly 130 may be coupled to the electrode leads 111. As a more specific example, the busbar assembly 130 may include a busbar housing 131 and a module busbar 132, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0062] Here, the bus bar housing 131 may be made of an electrically insulating material, for example, a plastic material. The bus bar housing 131 may be configured to have the module bus bar 132 attached and fixed thereto. The module bus bar 132 may be made of an electrically conductive material, for example, a metal material. The module bus bar 132 may be configured to electrically connect two or more electrode leads 111 to each other or to be connected to one or more electrode leads 111, and to transmit sensing information to a control unit such as a battery management system (BMS).
[0063] As such, in the case of the battery modules 100 included in the battery pack according to the present invention, certain portions, for example, the front and rear sides where the bus bar assemblies 130 are located, may be open and function as the air intake part I1. In particular, the bus bar assemblies 130 may be formed with slits through which the electrode leads 111 can pass. In this case, the air intake part I1 of each battery module 100 may communicate the internal space of the module case 120 with the external space through the slits.
[0064] 2 to 4, for example, the bus bar assemblies 130 may be located on the front and rear sides of each battery module 100. In this case, the air intake ducts 200 may be coupled to the front and rear of the module stack. Therefore, it can be said that the air intake ducts 200 cover the bus bar assemblies 130 of the multiple battery modules 100.
[0065] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the air intake duct 200 can provide a channel for fluid flow and also protect the bus bar assembly 130 of each battery module 100. Therefore, in this case, it can be said that the air intake duct 200 functions both as a duct for each battery module 100 and as a pack case. Therefore, in this embodiment, one component can perform multiple functions, eliminating the need to provide separate components for performing multiple functions, making manufacturing easier and more economical and further increasing the energy density of the battery pack.
[0066] The intake duct 200 may be configured to supply a cooling fluid, and the exhaust duct 300 may be configured to discharge the cooling fluid to the outside, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
[0067] FIG. 5 is a schematic top-down view of a cooling fluid flow configuration in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 5 , the intake duct 200 may be configured to supply cooling fluid to a plurality of battery modules 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the intake duct 200 may be configured to extend elongated in the left-right direction and may be coupled to the front and rear sides of a module stack in which a plurality of battery modules 100 are stacked in the left-right direction. In this case, air intake units I1 may be located in front and rear of the module stack to which the intake duct 200 is coupled. As indicated by solid arrows, cooling fluid, e.g., air, may flow into the intake duct 200 through air intake holes H1 and H2 of a side case 400 located on the left side of the module stack and then flow through the intake channel C1. The cooling fluid flowing through the intake channel C1 may then flow into the battery modules 100 via the air intake units I1 located in front and rear of each battery module 100.
[0069] The exhaust duct 300 may be configured to discharge the cooling fluid supplied to the plurality of battery modules 100 to the outside. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the exhaust duct 300 may be configured to extend elongated in the left-right direction and be coupled to the upper part of the module stack. In this case, an exhaust part O1 may be located above the module stack to which the exhaust duct 300 is coupled. The fluid flowing into each battery module 100 through the intake duct 200 flows through the internal space of the battery module 100 and is discharged to the exhaust part O1 located at the top. The cooling fluid discharged through the exhaust part O1 of each battery module 100 may be discharged to the outside of the battery pack through an exhaust channel C2 of the exhaust duct 300, as indicated by the dotted arrow.
[0070] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the flow of the cooling fluid through the intake duct 200 and the exhaust duct 300 can be more smoothly guided, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the battery pack.
[0071] In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 150 may be configured to open the intake portion I1 when cooling fluid is supplied through the intake duct 200. That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 5 , when cooling fluid flows into the intake duct 200 as indicated by the solid arrow, the opening / closing member 150 located at the intake portion I1 of each battery module 100 may open the intake portion I1 to allow the cooling fluid to flow from the intake duct 200 into the interior of the battery module 100.
[0072] In particular, the opening / closing member 150 can perform an opening operation and a closing operation, and may be configured to open the intake section I1 when the internal pressure of the intake duct 200 is higher than the internal pressure of the battery module 100. For example, when a cooling fluid is supplied to the inside of the intake duct 200 while the battery module 100 is in a normal state, the internal pressure of the intake duct 200 may become higher than the internal pressure of the battery module 100. In this case, the opening / closing member 150 changes from a closed state to an open state, thereby allowing the cooling fluid on the side of the intake duct 200 to flow into the battery module 100. On the other hand, when a cooling fluid is not supplied to the inside of the intake duct 200 while the battery module 100 is in a normal state, the internal pressure of the intake duct 200 and the internal pressure of the battery module 100 may become approximately the same. In this case, the opening / closing member 150 may maintain a closed state.
[0073] According to this embodiment of the present invention, when a cooling fluid is supplied, the open / close member 150 opens, allowing the cooling fluid to smoothly flow into the battery module 100. When a cooling fluid is not supplied, the open / close member 150 does not open, preventing external foreign matter, such as dust or moisture in the intake duct 200, from flowing into the battery module 100.
[0074] Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the intake duct 200 may be configured so that the cross-sectional area of the intake channel C1 varies in parts. In particular, the intake duct 200 may be configured so that the channel cross-sectional area at the end where the cooling fluid flows in is larger than the channel cross-sectional area at the opposite end. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 5 , the cooling fluid flows into the intake duct 200 from the left end, and the cooling fluid flows to the right from the intake channel C1. In this case, the intake duct 200 may be configured so that the channel cross-sectional area at the left end is larger than the channel cross-sectional area at the right end.
[0075] Furthermore, the intake duct 200 may be configured so that the cross-sectional area of the channel gradually decreases from the end where the cooling fluid enters toward the opposite side. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the intake duct 200 may be configured so that the size of the intake channel C1 decreases from the left end toward the right end.
[0076] According to this configuration of the present invention, the amount of cooling fluid that flows into the plurality of battery modules 100 arranged along the left-right direction can be made uniform.
[0077] The opening / closing member 150 may be configured to close the intake part I1 when vent gas is generated inside the battery module 100. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
[0078] FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration in which the intake part I1 is closed by vent gas in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0079] 6, among the multiple battery modules (M1 to M8) 100 arranged in the left-right direction, if vent gas is generated inside the M5 module, the internal pressure of the M5 module may increase. Furthermore, this increase in internal pressure may cause the opening / closing member 150 of the M5 module to close the intake section I1 of the M5 module. Closing the intake section I1 here may include not only changing the intake section I1 from an open state to a closed state, but also maintaining the intake section I1 in the closed state.
[0080] For this reason, the vent gas in the M5 module cannot flow out to the intake duct 200 side as shown by the solid arrow. At this time, because the M5 module is formed with an exhaust section O1, the vent gas can be discharged through the exhaust section O1. The vent gas in the M5 module thus discharged through the exhaust section O1 can then be discharged to the outside through the exhaust duct 300 as shown by the dotted arrow.
[0081] According to this embodiment of the present invention, even if vent gas is generated inside a specific battery module 100 among the plurality of battery modules 100, the vent gas does not flow into the intake duct 200. Therefore, problems such as thermal runaway propagation that occur when vent gas flows into other battery modules 100 through the intake duct 200 can be effectively prevented.
[0082] Meanwhile, the vent gas that has flowed into the exhaust duct 300 may also flow into the interior of another battery module 100 via the exhaust section O1 of that battery module. However, in this case, if the internal pressure of that battery module 100 increases due to the inflow of the vent gas, the open / close member 150 of that battery module 100 may also be closed. Therefore, in this case, it is possible to prevent the vent gas from continuing to flow into the interior of that battery module 100 via the exhaust section O1 of that battery module 100. Also, in this case, since the pressure on the outlet side of the exhaust duct 300 is low, it is thought that the fluid in the exhaust duct 300 is more likely to flow toward the outlet side of the exhaust duct 300 than toward the interior of another battery module 100.
[0083] The opening / closing member 150 may be configured to be hinged to open and close the intake part I1, which will be described in more detail with further reference to FIGS.
[0084] Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration in which the opening / closing member 150 in the battery module 100 of Fig. 3 is open. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the opening / closing configuration of the opening / closing member 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above. For example, Fig. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating one form of a cross-sectional configuration of the A1-A1' portion of Fig. 7. In particular, for convenience of explanation, Fig. 8 omits or simplifies the illustration of members other than the opening / closing member 150.
[0085] 7 and 8, the opening / closing member 150 may be provided with a hinge as shown by G and configured to be hinge-rotatable. The opening / closing member 150 is switched between an open state and a closed state by the rotational movement of the hinge G. In particular, since the opening / closing member 150 is provided on the intake section I1 side of the battery module 100, the intake section I1 can be opened and closed by opening and closing the opening / closing member 150.
[0086] For example, when the opening / closing member 150 is positioned in the shape shown by the dotted line in the configuration of Fig. 8, this can be said to be a closed state. In this case, the opening / closing member 150 can be configured as shown in Fig. 3. Furthermore, in this state, it can also be said that the opening / closing member 150 closes the intake section I1 of the battery module 100.
[0087] Meanwhile, when the opening / closing member 150 rotates about the hinge axis as shown by arrow B1 in the configuration of Fig. 8, it can be said that the opening / closing member 150 is in an open state. In this case, the opening / closing member 150 can be configured as shown in Fig. 7. In this state, it can be said that the opening / closing member 150 opens the intake section I1 of the battery module 100. In other words, when the opening / closing member 150 is open, the intake section I1 can be exposed to the outside of the battery module 100, as shown in the portion V1 in Fig. 7.
[0088] In particular, when the cooling fluid flows into the intake duct 200 side and the internal pressure of the intake duct 200 increases, the opening / closing member 150 can rotate as shown by arrow B1 in Figures 7 and 8. In this case, when each of the opening / closing members 150 provided on the multiple battery modules 100 is opened, the cooling fluid can flow as shown by the solid arrow in Figure 5.
[0089] 7 and 8. In this case, when vent gas is generated inside the battery module 100 and the internal pressure of the battery module 100 increases, the opening / closing member 150 can rotate in the direction opposite to the arrow B1 in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. In this case, closing the opening / closing member 150 provided in the battery module 100 can prevent the vent gas from flowing out from the battery module 100 to the intake duct 200, as shown by the solid arrow in Fig. 6. At this time, because the battery module 100 is provided with an exhaust section O1, the internal vent gas can flow through the exhaust section O1 to the exhaust duct 300 and then along the exhaust duct 300 as shown by the dotted arrow in Fig. 6.
[0090] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the opening / closing configuration of the intake section I1 by the opening / closing member 150 can be more easily realized.
[0091] The opening / closing member 150 may include an elastic body for controlling the rotational movement of the hinge G. For example, the opening / closing member 150 may include a spring-shaped elastic body. In this case, the opening / closing member 150 may be configured to maintain a closed state in a state shown by the dotted line in FIG. 8 or in a state shown in FIG. 3 due to the elastic force of the elastic body in a normal state. When the cooling fluid flows into the intake duct 200 and the pressing force of the cooling fluid on the opening / closing member 150 becomes greater than the elastic force of the elastic body, the opening / closing member 150 rotates as shown by arrow B1 in FIGS. 7 and 8 and is switched to the open state shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this case, the cooling fluid can flow into the battery module 100 through the intake section I1 of the battery module 100.
[0092] Then, when the cooling fluid is no longer supplied to the intake duct 200 side or the amount of cooling fluid decreases and the pressure applied by the cooling fluid becomes smaller than the elastic force of the elastic body, the opening / closing member 150 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow B1 and switches to the dotted line portion in Figure 8 or the closed state shown in Figure 3.
[0093] According to this embodiment of the present invention, when the internal pressure of the battery module 100 increases due to vent gas, the opening / closing member 150 can be closed more quickly. Also, according to this embodiment, when no cooling fluid flows in under normal conditions, the opening / closing member 150 maintains the closed state, thereby more reliably blocking the inflow of foreign matter such as dust and moisture into the intake part I1 of the battery module 100.
[0094] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the opening / closing member 150 may include a first door portion 151 and a second door portion 152. Both the first door portion 151 and the second door portion 152 may be configured to rotate around a hinge axis. In particular, the first door portion 151 and the second door portion 152 may be configured to rotate in opposite directions to open and close. In this case, the first door portion 151 and the second door portion 152 may have hinges G at their ends that are far apart from each other, and may rotate around the hinges G. In this case, the first door portion 151 and the second door portion 152 may be configured so that their ends that are closer to each other move.
[0095] For example, when the opening / closing member 150 is opened, the first door part 151 can rotate counterclockwise, and the second door part 152 can rotate clockwise. In this case, the gap between the first door part 151 and the second door part 152 widens, and the intake part I1 may be exposed to the outside of the module through this gap. Therefore, in this case, the intake part I1 may be in an open state.
[0096] Conversely, when the opening / closing member 150 is closed, the first door part 151 can rotate clockwise and the second door part 152 can rotate counterclockwise. Then, when the gap between the first door part 151 and the second door part 152 narrows and the end of the first door part 151 and the end of the second door part 152 come into contact with each other, the opening / closing member 150 can be closed. In this case, the intake part I1 is not exposed to the outside of the module and can be in a closed state.
[0097] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to more smoothly open / close the opening / closing member 150. In particular, the bus bar assembly 130 may be located inside the opening / closing member 150, and the space between the opening / closing member 150 and the bus bar assembly 130 may be narrow. In this case, the two door portions 151 and 152 constituting the opening / closing member 150 can form a sufficient opening portion through which the cooling fluid can flow even if they move a short distance.
[0098] Therefore, in this case, the opening operation of the opening / closing member 150 can be performed in a narrow space, which is advantageous for miniaturizing the battery module 100 and the battery pack. Also, in the case of the above embodiment, when vent gas is generated, the two door parts 151 and 152 move a short distance to perform the closing operation of the opening / closing member 150, so that the vent gas can be more quickly blocked from being discharged through the intake part I1.
[0099] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, when the opening / closing member 150 is opened, the opening portion V1 may be formed in the center of the opening / closing member 150 in the left-right direction. When the cooling fluid flows in through this central opening portion V1, the cooling fluid tends to flow into both the left and right sides of the battery module 100. Therefore, in this case, the cooling fluid can flow evenly to the left and right inside the battery module 100, which is advantageous in ensuring stable cooling performance of the battery module 100.
[0100] The battery module 100 may include a stopper that prevents the opening / closing member 150 from moving.
[0101] First, the battery module 100 may include a first stopper S1 shown in Fig. 8. When the opening / closing member 150 is opened, the first stopper S1 prevents the opening / closing member 150 from being opened any further. In particular, when the opening / closing member 150 is opened, a moving end of the opening / closing door (door portion) may move toward the bus bar assembly 130. At this time, the first stopper S1 prevents the opening / closing door from moving any further toward the bus bar assembly 130.
[0102] According to this embodiment of the present invention, damage and short circuits to the bus bar assembly 130 caused by the opening operation of the opening / closing member 150 can be prevented.
[0103] The battery module 100 may also include a second stopper S2 in FIG. 8. The second stopper S2 prevents the opening / closing member 150 from further rotating when the opening / closing member 150 is closed. In particular, in FIG. 8, the opening / closing door may rotate in the direction opposite to the arrow B1 to form a closed state as indicated by the dotted line. If the opening / closing door continues to rotate in the direction opposite to the arrow B1, the opposing ends of the opening / closing door may move away from each other, and the opening / closing member 150 may instead be in an open state. The second stopper S2 may be configured to prevent movement of the opening / closing member 150 so that the opening / closing member 150 is properly maintained in a closed state when the opening / closing member 150 is closed. In particular, if vent gas is generated inside the battery module 100, a pressing force toward the outside of the module (the -Y-axis direction in the figure) may act on the opening / closing door. In this case, the second stopper S2 can block the pressing force acting on the opening / closing door.
[0104] Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, when the opening / closing member 150 is closed due to the generation of vent gas, etc., the closed state can be stably maintained.
[0105] The opening / closing member 150 may be made of an insulating material such as plastic. In this case, even if the opening / closing member 150 comes into contact with the bus bar assembly 130, it is possible to prevent a short circuit or the like from occurring. Alternatively, the opening / closing member 150 may be made of a conductive (electrically conductive) material such as metal to increase mechanical rigidity. In this case, at least a portion of the opening / closing member 150, for example, an end portion of the opening / closing member 150, may be coated with an insulating material or may be configured to wrap around the surface.
[0106] In addition to the above-described embodiment, the opening / closing member 150 may be configured with various other materials and shapes.
[0107] FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of an exhaust duct 300 included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0108] Referring further to FIG. 9 together with the above-mentioned drawings, the exhaust duct 300 may have an empty space, i.e., an exhaust channel C2, inside, as indicated by C2. The vent gas and cooling fluid discharged from the battery modules 100 may flow through the exhaust channel C2 and then exit to the outside through the exhaust port of the exhaust duct 300. As shown in FIG. 9, the exhaust duct 300 may be configured with an open bottom and right side and closed top, front, rear, and left side. The open bottom of the exhaust duct 300 may be coupled to the portions of the battery modules 100 where the exhaust ports O1 are formed. In this case, the open bottom of the exhaust duct 300 may also serve as an inlet of the exhaust channel C2. The open right side of the exhaust duct 300 may function as an outlet. Therefore, the cooling fluid and vent gas discharged from each battery module 100 may flow into the open bottom of the exhaust duct 300 and then flow toward the outlet.
[0109] In particular, the open lower portion of the exhaust duct 300 may be configured to be completely open, as shown in Fig. 9. In this case, the exhaust duct 300 can be easily assembled to the module stack. That is, since the inlet of the exhaust channel C2 is formed wide, it is possible to more easily realize a configuration in which the inlet of the exhaust channel C2 communicates with the exhaust section O1.
[0110] The exhaust duct 300 may include a mesh member on the outlet side, as shown by E in Fig. 9. Here, the mesh member E may be configured as a plate-like member having a plurality of holes formed therein, or may be configured as a mesh of a plurality of wires woven together.
[0111] According to this embodiment of the present invention, sparks, high-temperature active material particles, etc. in the vent gas discharged through the exhaust duct 300 can be filtered by the mesh member E. Therefore, it is possible to prevent such sparks, active material particles, etc. from being discharged to the outside of the battery pack and becoming a cause of fire.
[0112] 10 is a bottom perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of an exhaust duct 300 included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment and various other embodiments included in this specification, detailed descriptions of parts that are the same or similar to those described in other embodiments will be omitted, and the description will focus on parts that are different.
[0113] 10, the exhaust duct 300 may have an inlet F formed on at least one surface, particularly the lower surface. More specifically, the exhaust duct 300 may have a plate-like member on the lower portion, and the inlet F may be formed in the form of a hole in the plate-like member. The inlet F may be connected to the exhaust channel C2.
[0114] Furthermore, such inlets F may be formed in plurality to correspond to the exhaust portions O1 of each battery module 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, if a battery pack includes eight battery modules 100 and one exhaust portion O1 is formed for each battery module 100, it can be said that a total of eight exhaust portions O1 are formed in the battery pack. In this case, eight inlets F corresponding to all of these exhaust portions O1 may be formed in the exhaust duct 300. Each inlet F may be configured to communicate with a different exhaust portion O1. Therefore, each inlet F may be designed to have an appropriate position and shape so that it can communicate with the corresponding exhaust portion O1.
[0115] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the influence of the vent gas flowing into the exhaust channel C2 on other battery modules 100 closer to the exhaust port is reduced as the vent gas moves to the exhaust port of the exhaust duct 300. In particular, according to this embodiment, since the rest of the exhaust duct 300 except for the inlet F is blocked by the lower plate-shaped member, contact of the vent gas with other battery modules 100 as it flows along the exhaust channel C2 can be reduced. Therefore, by preventing or reducing heat transfer from the vent gas to other battery modules 100, problems such as thermal runaway propagation can be more effectively prevented.
[0116] The exhaust duct 300 may include a blocking portion for controlling the flow direction of gas flowing through the exhaust duct 300. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
[0117] 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a portion of an exhaust duct 300 included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 11 is a diagram partially illustrating an example of a cross-sectional configuration taken along line A2-A2′ in FIG.
[0118] 11, at least two inlets F1 and F2 are formed in the lower side of the exhaust duct 300, and these two inlets F1 and F2 are configured to communicate with the exhaust portion O1 of different battery modules 100. In this configuration, the exhaust duct 300 may include a blocking portion indicated by J. Here, a blocking portion J may be provided for each inlet. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a first blocking portion J1 may be provided at the first inlet F1, and a second blocking portion J2 may be provided at the second inlet F2.
[0119] In particular, when gas flows into the exhaust duct 300, the blocking unit J may be configured to block the gas from entering other inlets F. For example, when gas, such as vent gas or cooling gas, flows in through the first inlet F1, if the outlet of the exhaust duct 300 is located to the right (+X-axis direction), the gas may flow to the right as shown by the arrow in Fig. 11. In this case, the second inlet F2 may be provided with a second blocking unit J2, which may block or reduce the gas that has flowed into the exhaust duct 300 through the first inlet F1 from entering the second inlet F2.
[0120] Furthermore, the blocking part J may be configured to protrude upward with one end fixed to the bottom plate of the exhaust duct 300. In this case, the blocking part J may have an inclined surface that gradually slopes upward toward the exhaust port. In particular, the fixed part of the blocking part J may be located on the side opposite the exhaust port with respect to the inlet F. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 11 , in the case of the second inlet F2, the second blocking part J2 may be fixed to the bottom plate of the exhaust duct 300 on the left side opposite the exhaust port, as shown by the part K. The second blocking part J2 may be configured to slope upward toward the right where the exhaust port is located.
[0121] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to minimize the gas that has flowed into the exhaust duct 300 from flowing into the exhaust ports of other battery modules 100 .
[0122] 11, the gas flowing in through the first inlet F1 can be configured to flow toward the second inlet F2 and then flow upward away from the second inlet F2 from the portion indicated by K. In this case, the inflow of gas into the second inlet F2 can be more effectively blocked.
[0123] Furthermore, as in the above embodiment, if the inclined shape of the blocking portion J is formed so that it slopes upward toward the exhaust port, it is possible to reduce the obstruction of the gas flow caused by the blocking portion J when the gas flows toward the exhaust port inside the exhaust duct 300. Therefore, in this case, it is possible to ensure a smooth flow of the gas.
[0124] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when gas flows into the exhaust duct 300 through the first inlet F1, the flow direction is toward the exhaust port, which prevents gas from flowing into other inlets (not shown) located to the left of the first inlet F1.
[0125] On the other hand, in Figure 11, only two inlets F1 and F2 are shown in the exhaust duct 300, but the configuration shown in Figure 11, particularly the configuration of the blocking section J, can be similarly applied to other inlets.
[0126] 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a portion of an exhaust duct 300 provided in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 12 is a diagram partially illustrating another embodiment of the cross-sectional configuration taken along line A2-A2′ in FIG.
[0127] Referring to Figure 12, the blocking section J of the exhaust duct 300 may be configured to be able to open and close with respect to each inlet F. In particular, the blocking section J of the exhaust duct 300 may be configured to be able to rotate on a hinge. The inlet F can be opened and closed by rotating the hinge of such a blocking section J. For example, in Figure 12, the first blocking section J1 is positioned so as to close the first inlet F1 as shown by the dotted line, and can open the first inlet F1 by rotating in the direction of arrow B2.
[0128] In particular, the blocking unit J may be configured to include an elastic body such as a spring and to rotate in the direction of arrow B2 to open when a force above a certain level is applied. Furthermore, the exhaust unit O1 of the battery module 100 may be located outside, for example, below, the inlet F of the exhaust duct 300. The blocking unit J may be configured to rotate and open similarly to the first blocking unit J1 when the pressure (force) applied by gas, for example, a cooling fluid or vent gas, flowing from the exhaust unit O1 toward the inlet reaches a certain level or higher. When no force is applied to the blocking unit J or when the force is below a certain level, the blocking unit J may remain closed similarly to the second blocking unit J2. In particular, the blocking unit J may be configured not to open even when the internal pressure of the exhaust duct 300 increases, but rather to remain more securely closed.
[0129] According to this embodiment of the present invention, when vent gas is generated in a specific battery module 100 and flows into the exhaust duct 300, it can be more reliably prevented from flowing into other battery modules 100 through other inlets F and exhaust units O1. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 12, when vent gas is discharged from the exhaust unit O1 of the battery module 100 corresponding to the first inlet F1, the first blocking unit J1 can rotate as shown by arrow B2 in FIG. 12 to open the first inlet F. At this time, because the second blocking unit J2 closes the second inlet F2, the vent gas that has flowed into the exhaust duct 300 cannot flow into other battery modules 100 through the second inlet F2. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, problems such as thermal runaway propagation between battery modules 100 due to the inflow of vent gas can be more reliably prevented.
[0130] Furthermore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, the inlet of the exhaust duct 300 can be kept closed unless vent gas, cooling fluid, etc. flows from the battery module 100 into the exhaust duct 300. Therefore, in this case, even if foreign matter such as external dust or moisture flows into the exhaust duct 300, the foreign matter can be prevented from flowing into the battery module 100.
[0131] The battery pack according to the present invention may further include various other components of a battery pack known at the time of filing of the present invention, such as a battery management system (BMS), a current sensor, a fuse, etc.
[0132] An energy storage system (ESS) according to the present invention may include one or more battery packs according to the present invention. In particular, the energy storage system may include a plurality of battery packs according to the present invention electrically connected to each other to have a large energy capacity. In addition, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include various other components of energy storage systems known at the time of filing of the present invention. Furthermore, such an energy storage system may be used in various locations and devices, such as smart grid systems and electric charging stations.
[0133] Furthermore, a vehicle according to the present invention may include one or more battery packs according to the present invention. Furthermore, a vehicle according to the present invention may further include, in addition to the battery pack, various other components included in the vehicle. For example, a vehicle according to the present invention may further include, in addition to the battery pack according to the present invention, a vehicle body, a motor, a control device such as an electronic control unit (ECU), and the like.
[0134] Meanwhile, although directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear may be used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are used merely for the convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the position of the object, the position of the observer, etc. Furthermore, although the terms inside and outside may be used in this specification, unless otherwise specified, the inside direction of each component means the direction toward the center of the battery pack or the component, and the outside direction means the opposite direction.
[0135] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to these, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of equivalents of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]
[0136] 100 Battery Module 110 battery cells 111 Electrode lead 120 module case 121 Upper Plate 122 Lower Plate 123 Side Plate 130 Busbar Assembly 132 module busbar 140 Module Terminal 150 Opening and closing member 151 First door section 152 Second door section 200 Intake duct 210 First intake duct 220 Second intake duct 300 Exhaust duct 400 Side Case H1 First intake port H2 Second intake port I1 Intake section O1 Exhaust section C1 Intake Channel C2 Exhaust Channel F inlet, F1 1st inlet F2 2nd inlet G hinge J Breaker J1 First breaker J2 Second breaker S1 First stopper S2 Second stopper E Mesh material
Claims
1. a plurality of battery modules each having one or more battery cells configured to store and release energy, the battery modules having an intake section and an exhaust section formed therein; an intake duct having an intake channel formed therein and arranged to communicate with the intake portions of the plurality of battery modules; an exhaust duct having an exhaust channel formed therein and arranged to communicate with the exhaust portions of the plurality of battery modules; Including, The plurality of battery modules further include an opening / closing member configured to close the intake portion when an internal pressure of the battery modules increases, the battery cell includes electrode leads at its front and / or rear portions; The plurality of battery modules each include a bus bar assembly coupled to the electrode lead; The opening and closing members are provided on bus bar assemblies of the plurality of battery modules. Battery pack.
2. The intake section is formed on a side surface of each battery module, and the exhaust section is formed on an upper surface of each battery module.
2. The battery pack of claim 1.
3. The air intake duct is configured to cover the bus bar assemblies of the plurality of battery modules.
2. The battery pack of claim 1.
4. the intake duct is configured to supply a cooling fluid to the plurality of battery modules, and the exhaust duct is configured to discharge the cooling fluid supplied to the plurality of battery modules to the outside.
2. The battery pack of claim 1.
5. The opening and closing member is configured to open the intake section when the cooling fluid is supplied through the intake duct.
5. The battery pack according to claim 4.
6. The opening / closing member is configured to close the intake portion when vent gas is generated inside the battery module.
2. The battery pack of claim 1.
7. The opening / closing member is configured to be hinged to open and close the intake section.
2. The battery pack of claim 1.
8. The exhaust duct is formed with a plurality of inlets corresponding to the exhaust portions of the battery modules.
2. The battery pack of claim 1.
9. The exhaust duct includes a blocking portion configured to block gas that has flowed into at least one of the plurality of inlets from flowing into other inlets.
9. The battery pack of claim 8.
10. 10. An energy storage system comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
11. A motor vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
Citation Information
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