Battery module, battery pack including same, and automobile

Abstract

A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells, a module housing that accommodates the battery cell assembly, and an end cover unit that is coupled to the module housing and disperses and guides flames or gases in a predetermined direction when the flames or gases are generated within the module housing.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the same, and an automobile.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0073746 filed on June 7, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings. [Background technology]

[0003] Secondary batteries, which are easily applicable to various products and have electrical properties such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that are driven by electrical sources. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source because they are environmentally friendly and improve energy efficiency by not producing any by-products associated with energy use, in addition to their primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels.

[0004] Currently, types of secondary batteries that are widely used include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. The operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, i.e., a unit battery cell, is about 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. Also, a battery pack may be constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in parallel according to a charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be variously set according to a required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] In addition, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series and parallel, a battery module including at least one battery cell is generally constructed first, and other components are added to the at least one battery module to construct a battery pack or a battery rack. Meanwhile, a power storage device is constructed by using at least one such battery rack as an energy source.

[0006] A conventional battery module typically includes a plurality of battery cells and a module housing that accommodates the plurality of battery cells. In the case of a conventional battery module, when a fire or gas occurs in at least one battery cell due to an abnormality in the module housing, the fire or gas accumulates mostly in the module housing. This causes a problem that the temperature of the adjacent battery cells increases due to the fire or gas in the module housing, leading to thermal runaway of the entire battery cells and even an explosion of the battery module.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a solution to provide a battery module capable of preventing thermal runaway when a flame or gas is generated inside the module housing, and a battery pack and an automobile including the same. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery module capable of preventing thermal runaway when a flame or gas occurs inside a module housing, and a battery pack and an automobile including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a battery module comprising: a battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a module housing that accommodates the battery cell assembly; and an end cover unit that is coupled to the module housing and that disperses and guides flames or gases in a predetermined direction when the flames or gases are generated within the module housing.

[0010] The end cover units are provided at both ends of the module housing and can guide flames and gases inside the module housing to the upper portions of both ends of the module housing.

[0011] The end cover unit includes a cover body attached to both ends of the module housing, and the cover body may be provided with an exhaust port that opens toward the top of the cover body to exhaust the flame and gas.

[0012] The end cover unit may include a first dispersion guider provided on the cover body for primarily dispersing the flame or gas, and a second dispersion guider arranged opposite the first dispersion guider for secondarily dispersing the flame or gas.

[0013] The first distribution guider may be disposed opposite the battery cell assembly.

[0014] The first distribution guider may be made of a mesh member made of a metal material.

[0015] The second dispersion guider may be at least one or more and may be in communication with the outlet.

[0016] The second dispersion guider may be provided with a spiral-shaped rib structure.

[0017] The end cover unit may include a directional guider disposed opposite the second distribution guider to guide the discharge direction of the flame and gas.

[0018] The directional guider is in communication with the exhaust port and can guide the flame and gas toward the exhaust port.

[0019] The directional guider may include at least one offset fin.

[0020] The present invention also provides a battery pack, comprising: at least one battery module according to any one of the above-described embodiments; and a pack case packaging the at least one battery module.

[0021] The present invention also provides a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one battery pack according to any of the above-described embodiments. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery module capable of preventing thermal runaway when a flame or gas is generated inside a module housing, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

[0023] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters described in the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3]3 is a diagram for explaining an end cover unit of the battery module in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the end cover unit of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram for explaining a mechanism for dispersing and guiding a flame or gas when the flame or gas is generated in the battery module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram for explaining a mechanism for dispersing and guiding a flame or gas when the flame or gas is generated in the battery module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram for explaining a mechanism for dispersing and guiding a flame or gas when the flame or gas is generated in the battery module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram for explaining a mechanism for dispersing and guiding a flame or gas when the flame or gas is generated in the battery module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] 2 is a diagram for explaining a mechanism for dispersing and guiding a flame or gas when the flame or gas is generated in the battery module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiment described here is illustratively shown to facilitate understanding of the invention, and it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various modifications different from the embodiment described here. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the attached drawings may be drawn not to scale but with some components exaggerated.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG.

[0027] 1 and 2, a battery module 10 may include a battery cell assembly 100, a module housing 200, and an end cover unit 300.

[0028] The battery cell assembly 100 may include a number of battery cells 110.

[0029] The battery cells 110 may be pouch-type secondary batteries, prismatic secondary batteries, or cylindrical secondary batteries. Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described assuming that the battery cells 110 are pouch-type secondary batteries.

[0030] The plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked so as to be electrically connected to each other. Each of the plurality of battery cells 110 may include an electrode assembly, a battery case that houses the electrode assembly, and a pair of electrode leads 115 that protrude to the outside of the battery case and are connected to the electrode assembly. Here, the pair of electrode leads 115 may be disposed to face an end cover unit 300, which will be described later.

[0031] The module housing 200 may accommodate the battery cell assembly 100. To this end, the module housing 200 may be provided with an accommodation space for accommodating the battery cell assembly 100.

[0032] The end cover unit 300 is coupled to the module housing 200, and when a flame or gas occurs within the module housing 200, the end cover unit 300 can disperse the flame or gas and guide it in a predetermined direction.

[0033] The end cover units 300 may be provided in pairs. Specifically, the end cover units 300 are provided at both ends of the module housing 200 and may guide flames and gases inside the module housing 200 to the upper portions of both ends of the module housing 200.

[0034] The end cover unit 300 according to this embodiment will now be described in more detail.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an end cover unit of the battery module in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the end cover unit in FIG.

[0036] 3 and 4, the end cover unit 300 may include a cover body 310, a first distribution guider 330, a second distribution guider 350, and a directional guider 370.

[0037] The cover body 310 may be attached to both ends of the module housing 200 and may be provided in a shape capable of covering both ends of the module housing 200. The cover body 310 may be provided with an exhaust port 315 that opens toward the upper portion of the cover body in order to exhaust the flame or gas.

[0038] The first distribution guider 330 may be provided in the cover body 310 and may primarily distribute the flame or gas. The first distribution guider 330 may be disposed facing the battery cell assembly 100. Specifically, the first distribution guider 330 may be disposed facing the electrode lead 115 of the battery cell 110.

[0039] The first distribution guider 330 may be formed of a mesh member made of a metal material and may be provided on one surface of the cover body 310 facing the battery cell assembly 100 .

[0040] The second dispersion guider 350 is provided in the cover body 310 and disposed opposite to the first dispersion guider 330, and can secondarily disperse the flame or gas.

[0041] The second dispersion guider 350 may be integrally formed with the cover body 310, and may be provided in at least one number and communicate with the outlet 315. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the second dispersion guider 350 will be described only in the case where a pair of the second dispersion guiders 350 is provided.

[0042] The pair of second dispersion guiders 350 may have a volute-shaped rib structure, and thus the pair of second dispersion guiders 350 may rotate to guide and disperse the flame and gas and absorb the length of the flame.

[0043] The directional guider 370 is disposed opposite the second dispersion guider 350 and can guide the discharge direction of the flame or gas. The directional guider 370 is inserted into the cover body 310 and communicates with the exhaust port 315, and can guide the flame or gas to the exhaust port 315.

[0044] The directional guider 370 may include at least one offset fin. The directional guider 370 may be formed in a louver-shaped fin structure. The directional guider 370 may form a concave-convex structure along the width direction of the cover body 310.

[0045] The directional guider 370 guides the flame or gas that has passed through the second dispersion guider 350 toward the exhaust port 315, reducing the gas pressure due to the pressure difference and further dispersing the flame or gas, thereby further lowering the temperature of the flame or gas.

[0046] Hereinafter, when a flame or gas is generated in the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment, a mechanism of dispersing and guiding the flame or gas will be described in more detail.

[0047] 5 to 9 are diagrams for explaining the dispersion and guidance mechanism of flames and gases when the flames and gases are generated in the battery module of FIG.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 5, in the battery module 10, due to an abnormal condition in at least one of the battery cells 110 in the battery cell assembly 100, such as overheating, a flame or gas may be generated in the battery cell 110 in which an abnormal condition occurs.

[0049] Here, if the flame or gas continues to remain inside the module housing 200, it may increase the temperature of the adjacent battery cells 110, causing thermal runaway and even an explosion of the battery module 10.

[0050] 6, when an abnormal situation occurs, in the battery cell 110 where the abnormal situation occurs, flame or gas G may preferentially pass through the first dispersion guider 330 of the end cover unit 300. The first dispersion guider 330 may primarily disperse the flame or gas G and guide it to the second dispersion guider 350.

[0051] 7, the flame or gas G may then be guided and dispersed while rotating by the vortex-shaped second dispersion guider 350. At this time, the second dispersion guider 350 may absorb the flame length of the flame or gas G. Also, the second dispersion guider 350 may reduce the flame temperature or gas temperature of the flame or gas G.

[0052] 8, the flame or gas G may pass through the directional guider 370 tertiarily. As the flame or gas G passes through the directional guider 370, the gas pressure may be reduced due to a pressure difference, and the flame temperature or gas temperature of the flame or gas G may become lower. In addition, the directional guider 370 may guide the flame or gas G toward the exhaust port 315.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 9 , the flames and gas may finally be exhausted to the outside of the battery module 10 through the exhaust port 315 of the end cover unit 300.

[0054] As described above, in the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment, when a flame or gas occurs due to an abnormal condition in at least one of the battery cells 110 of the battery cell assembly 100, the end cover unit 300 can disperse and guide the flame or gas in three stages and discharge it to the outside of the battery module 10.

[0055] As a result, in the battery module 10 according to this embodiment, it is possible to effectively prevent dangerous situations such as thermal runaway that may occur when the flame or gas G increases the temperature of the adjacent battery cells 110.

[0056] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] 10 and 11, a battery pack 1 may include at least one battery module 10 according to the above-described embodiments, and a pack case 50 packaging the at least one battery module 10.

[0058] The battery pack 1 may be installed in an automobile V as a fuel source for the automobile. For example, the battery pack 1 may be installed in an automobile V in an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or in any other manner in which the battery pack 1 can be used as a fuel source.

[0059] In addition, the battery pack 1 can of course be provided in other devices, equipment, and facilities such as an energy storage system that uses a secondary battery, in addition to the automobile V.

[0060] As described above, the battery pack 1 according to the present embodiment and devices, instruments, and equipment equipped with the battery pack 1, such as an automobile, include the battery module 10 described above, and therefore it is possible to realize a battery pack 1 having all the advantages of the battery module 10 described above and devices, instruments, and equipment, such as an automobile equipped with the same.

[0061] In the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery module 10 capable of preventing thermal runaway when a flame or gas is generated in the module housing 200, a battery pack 1 including the battery module 10, and an automobile V.

[0062] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above, and that various modifications can be made by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical ideas and perspectives of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Battery Pack 10 Battery Module 50 pack case 100 Battery cell assembly 110 Battery Cell 115 Electrode Lead 200 module housing 300 End cover unit 310 Cover body 315 Outlet 330 Distributed Guider No. 1 350 2nd Distributed Guider 370 Directional Guider G Gas V Automobile

Claims

1. a battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a module housing that houses the battery cell assembly; an end cover unit coupled to the module housing, which disperses flames or gases in at least two stages and guides them in a predetermined direction when flames or gases are generated in the module housing; The end cover unit includes: A first dispersion guider for primarily dispersing the flame or gas; a second dispersion guider disposed opposite the first dispersion guider to secondarily disperse the flame or gas, the second dispersion guider having a spiral-shaped rib structure that rotates to guide and disperse the flame or gas.

2. The end cover unit includes: The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising: a first insulating layer provided at both ends of the module housing for guiding flames and gases within the module housing to upper portions of both ends of the module housing.

3. The end cover unit is a cover body attached to both ends of the module housing; The cover body includes: The battery module according to claim 2 , further comprising an exhaust port opening toward an upper portion of the cover body for exhausting the flame or gas.

4. A battery module as described in claim 3, characterized in that the first distribution guider is provided on the cover body.

5. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first distribution guider is disposed opposite the battery cell assembly.

6. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first distribution guider is made of a mesh member made of a metal material.

7. The battery module according to claim 3 , wherein the second distribution guider is provided in at least one piece and communicates with the exhaust port.

8. The end cover unit includes: The battery module according to claim 3 , further comprising a directional guider disposed opposite the second distribution guider to guide a discharge direction of the flame or gas.

9. The battery module according to claim 8 , wherein the directional guider is in communication with the exhaust port and guides the flame or gas toward the exhaust port.

10. The battery module according to claim 8 , wherein the directional guider includes at least one offset fin.

11. At least one battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 10; a pack case packaging the at least one battery module.

12. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 11.

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