Cooling device, battery module, power storage system including same, and automobile

Abstract

The present invention provides a cooling device that minimizes the impact on adjacent battery cells when gas and flame are emitted from one or more of a plurality of battery cells. To achieve this object, the cooling device according to the present invention is a cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, the cooling device including a battery cell mounting part configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on at least one side, and configured to perforate a portion facing the battery cell when gas and / or flame are emitted from the battery cell.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device, a battery module, a power storage system including the same, and a vehicle, and more particularly to a cooling device that minimizes the impact on adjacent battery cells when gas and flames are emitted from one or more battery cells.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0069517, filed on May 28, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings. [Background technology]

[0003] Currently, commercial secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Of these, lithium secondary batteries are attracting attention due to their advantages over nickel-based secondary batteries, such as almost no memory effect, freedom in charging and discharging, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0004] Such lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as positive and negative active materials, respectively, and include an electrode assembly in which a separator is sandwiched between positive and negative plates coated with the positive and negative active materials, and an exterior material, such as a battery pouch exterior material, that seals and houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0005] Recently, secondary batteries are widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices, but also in medium- and large-sized devices such as automobiles and power storage devices. When used in such medium- and large-sized devices, multiple secondary batteries are electrically connected to each other to increase capacity and output.

[0006] Meanwhile, as the need for a large-capacity structure, including use as an energy storage source, has increased recently, a plurality of battery cells have been arranged closely together when configuring a battery module.

[0007] The battery cells are closely packed together, and it is necessary to cool the battery cells in order to effectively dissipate the generated heat. For this reason, the battery module of the related art is provided with a cooling device to cool the battery cells. In addition, the cooling device provided in the battery module is sometimes provided in a state of direct contact with at least a portion of the battery cells in order to increase the efficiency of heat conduction. In addition, each of the battery cells provided in the battery module of the related art is provided with a vent portion configured to exhaust high-temperature gas and flames inside the battery cell in the event of thermal runaway or fire of the battery cell.

[0008] However, when the vent of such a battery cell is supported or sealed by the cooling device, there are cases where high-temperature gas and flames inside the battery cell are not discharged from the vent even if thermal runaway or fire occurs in the battery cell. For example, a conventional cooling device made of aluminum (Al) plate material-aluminum (Al) plate material having a thickness of several mm and joined by a brazing method may block the vent of the battery cell. The gas and flames stagnating inside the battery cell increase the internal pressure of the battery cell, and the gas and flames are discharged by cutting other parts (sides) of the battery cell instead of the vent. The gas and flames discharged in this way are not discharged in the direction intended by the vent, and are directly sprayed to other adjacent battery cells, causing thermal runaway or fire in the other battery cells. This causes a problem of a significant decrease in the safety of the battery module. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a cooling device, a battery module, and a power storage system and automobile including the same, which minimize the impact on adjacent battery cells when gas and flames are emitted from one or more battery cells of a plurality of battery cells.

[0010] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention; [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, a cooling device according to the present invention is a cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, and includes a battery cell mounting portion configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on at least one side, and configured such that when one or more of gas and flame are ejected from the battery cell, a portion facing the battery cell is perforated.

[0012] The battery cell mounting portion may include at least one layer configured such that a portion of one surface thereof is perforated by at least one of the gas and the flame.

[0013] The battery cell mounting portion may include an upper plate configured to have the plurality of battery cells mounted on one side thereof, and a lower plate configured to be joined to the other side of the upper plate, and the upper plate and the lower plate may each include a multilayer film having a thickness of 10 μm to 900 μm.

[0014] The multi-layer film may include an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer.

[0015] The outer protective layer may be a polymer resin having insulating properties, the reinforcing metal layer may include at least one selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), carbon (C), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), stainless steel (SUS), and an alloy including at least two of these, and the inner adhesive layer may include a pressure-reducing adhesive component or a heat-welding polymer resin.

[0016] The reinforcing metal layer may have a thickness in the range of 1 μm to 100 μm.

[0017] Furthermore, the cooling device includes a refrigerant flow path configured to allow a cooling medium to flow inside the battery cell mounting portion, a refrigerant injection port communicating with the refrigerant flow path and through which the cooling medium is injected, and a refrigerant discharge port communicating with the refrigerant flow path and through which the cooling medium is discharged, and an adhesive layer configured to be joined to the inner surface of the battery cell mounting portion may be formed on the outer side of each of the refrigerant injection port and the refrigerant discharge port.

[0018] In this case, the battery cell mounting portion may include an upper plate configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on one side thereof, and a lower plate configured to be joined to the other side of the upper plate, and the upper plate and the lower plate may each include an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer, and the inner adhesive layer of the upper plate and the inner adhesive layer of the lower plate may be joined to each other.

[0019] The battery cell mounting portion may have a cut formed in a portion facing the battery cell, the cut being configured to be cut by at least one of the gas and the flame.

[0020] The battery cell may be a cylindrical battery cell, and the notch may be in the shape of a ring that is concentric with the battery cell and smaller than a diameter of the battery cell.

[0021] The battery cell mounting portion may include an upper plate configured to have the plurality of battery cells mounted on one side thereof, and a lower plate configured to be joined to the other side of the upper plate, the upper plate and the lower plate each including an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer, and the notch may be formed by reducing a thickness of a portion of the reinforcing metal layer.

[0022] Further, the battery cell mounting portion may be provided with an opening configured to be melted by at least one of the gas and the flame at a portion facing the battery cell.

[0023] The battery cell may be a cylindrical battery cell, and the opening may be concentric with the battery cell and have a circular shape smaller than a diameter of the battery cell.

[0024] The battery cell mounting portion may include an upper plate configured to have the plurality of battery cells mounted on one side thereof, and a lower plate configured to be joined to the other side of the upper plate, the upper plate and the lower plate each including an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer, and the opening may be formed by perforating the reinforcing metal layer.

[0025] In order to achieve the above object, a battery module according to the present invention includes a cooling device according to the present invention, and a plurality of battery cells mounted on at least one surface of a battery cell mounting portion of the cooling device.

[0026] In addition, the battery cell may be provided with a vent portion at a portion facing the cooling device, configured to discharge gas or flames inside the body toward the cooling device when abnormal behavior of the battery cell occurs.

[0027] The cooling device may be located above the plurality of battery cells, each of the plurality of battery cells may be mounted so as to face a lower surface of the cooling device, and the vent portion may be positioned so as to face the cooling device.

[0028] Furthermore, the cooling device may be configured such that the internal cooling medium is discharged to the outside through a perforated portion of the battery cell mounting portion.

[0029] In a preferred example, the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell having a vent portion at the bottom configured to exhaust gas or flames inside the body toward the cooling device when abnormal behavior of the battery cell occurs, and the cooling device is heat-welded to the bottom of the battery cell.

[0030] The cooling device has an internal cooling medium of water, and is configured so that the cooling medium is injected from a perforated portion of the battery cell mounting portion toward the vented battery cell side.

[0031] In order to achieve the above object, the power storage system of the present invention includes the battery module.

[0032] In order to achieve the above object, the automobile of the present invention includes the battery module. Effect of the Invention

[0033] According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery cell mounting portion is configured to have a plurality of battery cells mounted on at least one surface, and is configured so that when one or more of gas and flame are ejected from the battery cells, a portion facing the battery cells is perforated. This allows the gas and flame to be exhausted from the perforated opening in the cooling member without the vent portion that exhausts the gas and flame from the battery cells being sealed by the cooling device.

[0034] As a result, unlike the conventional technology, the present invention can prevent the side of the battery cell from breaking and releasing high-temperature gas and flames from the side of the battery cell because gas and flames are not released. As a result, the present invention can prevent the gas and flames released from the battery cell from being transferred to other adjacent batteries, preventing thermal runaway or ignition of other battery cells. As a result, the present invention can significantly improve the safety of the battery module.

[0035] In particular, when a vent is provided in a battery cell, if a fire occurs inside the battery cell, the vent can easily burst open the cooling device, and gas and flames are likely to be ejected from the vent to the outside of the battery cell. The battery cells around the vented battery cell are protected by the cooling device, so that the flames ejected by the venting of the ignited cell do not come into direct contact with the surrounding battery cells, ensuring safety.

[0036] According to another aspect of the present invention, by providing an upper plate on which a plurality of battery cells are mounted and a lower plate joined to the upper plate, the plurality of battery cells can be in direct contact with a cooling device without an intermediate thermal conductive member, thereby improving cooling efficiency. Since the upper plate and the lower plate each include a multilayer film having a thickness of 10 μm to 900 μm, they are more easily perforated by gases and flames emitted from the battery cells than conventional cooling devices made of Al plate material-Al plate material having a thickness of several mm.

[0037] According to another aspect of the present invention, the lower plate of the cooling device is heat-welded to the other side of the upper plate, so that the assembly process of the cooling device can be performed without using a separate fastening member. As a result, the present invention can reduce the number of manufacturing parts and shorten the manufacturing time and reduce manufacturing costs compared to the conventional technology.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present invention, the outer peripheries of the upper plate and the lower plate are thermally welded to each other, thereby further increasing the bonding strength between the upper plate and the lower plate, thereby further preventing the cooling medium from leaking through the gap between the upper plate and the lower plate due to cracks in the cooling device when an external impact occurs during use of the battery module.

[0039] 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]

[0040] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a bottom perspective view showing a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a battery cell of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a part of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of region A of the cooling device of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 2 is a bottom perspective view showing a schematic refrigerant inlet of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a cooling device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX' in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a cooling device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII' in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 12 is another cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII' in FIG. 11. [Figure 14] 11 is a bottom perspective view illustrating a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 15] 15 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the battery module of FIG. 14. [Figure 16] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 17] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a power storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe the invention.

[0042] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiment 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 for them at the time of this application.

[0043] FIG. 1 is a perspective view that shows a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view that shows a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view that shows a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view that shows a part of a battery cell of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. And FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view that shows a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. For reference, the X-axis direction in FIG. 1 is the left direction, the Y-axis direction is the rear direction, and the Z-axis direction is the upward direction.

[0044] 1 to 5, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells 110 and a cooling device 120. The cooling device 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a device for cooling the plurality of battery cells 110. The cooling device 120 may have a plurality of battery cells 110 mounted on one side. The cooling device 120 may be configured to transfer heat generated from the plurality of battery cells 110 mounted on one side to cool the plurality of battery cells 110. For example, the cooling device 120 may include a cooling medium 123 therein. Alternatively, the cooling device 120 may be configured to inject a refrigerant fluid cooled outside into a main body and discharge the heated refrigerant fluid to the outside.

[0045] Here, the battery cell 110 may be a can-type secondary battery. For example, it may be a cylindrical battery cell or a prismatic battery cell. In this embodiment, a cylindrical battery cell is taken as an example. The battery cell 110 may include a cylindrical battery can 114. The battery cell 110 may include both a positive terminal 111 and a negative terminal 112 on the upper portion of the cylindrical battery can 114. For example, although not shown, an electrical insulating member may be interposed between the positive terminal 111 and the negative terminal 112. That is, the electrical insulating member may prevent electrical connection between the positive terminal 111 and the negative terminal 112.

[0046] The plurality of battery cells 110 may be arranged at a predetermined interval, for example, 3 to 5 mm. The plurality of battery cells 110 in one row may be arranged at different positions in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 1) from the plurality of battery cells 110 in another row. The plurality of battery cells 110 in one column may be arranged at different positions in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 1). That is, the plurality of battery cells 110 are generally arranged in a zigzag pattern from front to back, left to right. By arranging them in this manner, the integration density of the battery cells 110 can be increased.

[0047] In addition, although not shown, the battery module 100 of the present invention may electrically connect the plurality of battery cells 110 by a bus bar or an electric wire, etc. That is, the battery module 100 of the present invention may electrically connect the plurality of battery cells 110 by contacting the positive electrode terminal 111 and the negative electrode terminal 112 provided on each of the plurality of battery cells 110 with the bus bar or the electric wire.

[0048] The lower portions of the plurality of battery cells 110 may be fixed to the cooling device 120 by thermal welding. That is, the cooling device 120 may be a lower cooling structure.

[0049] The cooling device 120 may include a battery cell mounting part 121 configured to perforate a portion facing the battery cell 110 when at least one of gas and flame P is emitted from the battery cell 110. Here, the battery cell 110 may be configured to discharge at least one of gas and flame to the outside when an abnormal behavior such as an internal electrical short circuit or thermal runaway occurs. At this time, the battery cell mounting part 121 may be configured to perforate a portion facing the battery cell 110 by at least one of gas and flame. The battery cell mounting part 121 may be perforated in a manner that the battery cell mounting part 121 melts and flows away by at least one of the discharged gas and flame, or a part of the battery cell mounting part 121 is broken or detached. At this time, at least one of gas and flame discharged from the battery cell 110 may move from the perforated opening O of the battery cell mounting part 121 in a direction opposite to a position where the plurality of battery cells 110 are mounted.

[0050] Therefore, according to the above configuration of the present invention, the present invention is configured to mount the plurality of battery cells 110 on at least one side, and includes a battery cell mounting part 121 configured to have a portion facing the battery cell 110 perforated when at least one of gas and flame is emitted from the battery cell 110, so that the vent part 113 for discharging the gas and flame of the battery cell 110 is not sealed by the cooling device 120, and the gas and flame can be discharged from the perforated opening O of the cooling member. As a result, unlike the conventional technology, the present invention can prevent the side of the battery cell 110 from being torn and high-temperature gas and flame from being discharged from the side of the battery cell 110 by not discharging the gas and flame. As a result, the gas and flame discharged from the battery cell 110 are not transferred to other adjacent battery cells 110, and thermal runaway or ignition of the other battery cells 110 can be prevented. As a result, the safety of the battery module 100 can be significantly improved. That is, the cooling device 120 does not block the vent 113 of the battery cell 110 and is easily pierced when flames are exhausted through the vent 113 of the battery cell 110. It is possible to prevent flames from being emitted as the sides of the battery cell 110 are torn, and it is possible to prevent other surrounding battery cells from being directly exposed to the flames and catching fire. When one battery cell 110 catches fire, the cooling device 120 acts as a primary barrier, and is therefore highly effective in preventing catching fire in other battery cells 110.

[0051] In particular, when the vent portion 113 is formed under the battery cell 110 as in this embodiment, when an internal fire occurs in the battery cell 110, the vent portion 113 easily perforates the cooling device 120, and gas and flames easily escape from the vent portion 113 to the outside of the battery cell 110. Since other battery cells 110 around the vented battery cell 110 are protected by the cooling device 120, safety can be ensured by preventing flames emitted by the venting of the ignited cell from directly contacting the surrounding battery cells 110.

[0052] In this embodiment, the vent 113 is configured below the battery cell 110, and even though the cooling device 120 is located below the battery cell 110, the vent 113 operates well, so that in the event of overheating or fire due to an abnormality in the battery cell 110, internal gas or flames can escape to the bottom instead of the top or side of the battery module 100. For example, when the battery module 100 is installed in a vehicle, passengers such as a driver are usually located above the battery module 100, so the safety of the passengers can be maximized by directing gas or flames to the bottom of the battery module 100.

[0053] The battery cell 110 may be a cylindrical battery cell as described above, and in particular, may be a cylindrical battery cell having a form factor ratio (defined as the diameter of a cylindrical battery cell divided by its height, i.e., the ratio of the diameter Φ to the height H) of greater than about 0.4. Here, the form factor refers to a value indicating the diameter and height of a cylindrical battery cell. Cylindrical battery cells according to an embodiment of the present invention may be, for example, a 46110 cell, a 48750 cell, a 48110 cell, a 48800 cell, or a 46800 cell. In the numerical value indicating the form factor, the first two digits indicate the diameter of the cell, the next two digits indicate the height of the cell, and the last digit 0 indicates that the cross section of the cell is circular.

[0054] Conventionally, battery cells having a form factor of approximately 0.4 or less have been used. For example, 1865 cells, 2170 cells, etc. have been used. In comparison, the battery cells 110 included in the battery module 100 of the present invention can be said to be large battery cells. Therefore, the battery module 100 of the present invention is more suitable for large capacity and high output. In addition, since the cooling device 120 has been improved, it is particularly suitable as a battery module for automobiles that require large capacity and high output.

[0055] Fig. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 7 is a schematic enlarged partial cross-sectional view of region A of the cooling device of Fig. 6.

[0056] 6 and 7, the battery cell mounting part 121 may include at least one layer configured to have a portion of one surface perforated by at least one of the gas and the flame. For example, at least one layer of the battery cell mounting part 121 may include a multi-layer film having a thickness of 10 μm to 900 μm. Preferably, at least one layer of the battery cell mounting part 121 may include an outer protective layer 122a, a reinforcing metal layer 122b, and a first inner adhesive layer 122c1. The outer protective layer 122a may be formed on one surface of the reinforcing metal layer 122b and may include a polymer resin having an insulating property. The polymer resin having an insulating property of the outer protective layer 122a may include at least one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, vinyl chloride, polyimide, and polyphenylene sulfide. Such an outer protective layer 122a may be made of an abrasion-resistant material.

[0057] The reinforcing metal layer 122b may include at least one selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), carbon (C), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), stainless steel (SUS), and an alloy including at least two of them. The reinforcing metal layer 122b has a thickness ranging from 1 μm to 100 μm. The first inner adhesive layer 122c1 may include a pressure-reducing adhesive component or a heat-sealing polymer resin. Here, the pressure-reducing adhesive component may include at least one selected from the group consisting of an acrylic adhesive compound, a rubber adhesive compound, a silicone adhesive compound, and a vinyl ether adhesive compound. The first inner adhesive layer 122c1 may be, for example, a non-stretched CPP film (casting polypropylene film).

[0058] In this way, the layer of the battery cell mounting part 121 may be a film having a thickness of 10 μm to 900 μm. The cooling device 120 formed from such a film may be defined as a "thin film" cooling device compared to a conventional cooling device using an Al plate material having a thickness of several mm. A conventional cooling device made of an Al plate material-Al plate material having a thickness of several mm is not perforated by gas or flame discharged from a battery cell. If the layer of the battery cell mounting part 121 is formed from a multi-layer thin film having the above-mentioned thickness, it is easily perforated by gas or flame discharged from the battery cell 110 compared to a conventional cooling device. In addition, since the battery cell mounting part 121 is a film having a thickness of 10 μm to 900 μm, it is lighter than a conventional Al plate material having a thickness of several mm. Therefore, the thickness and weight of the battery module 100 including such a cooling device 120 can be further reduced, and the energy density per volume and the energy density per weight can be increased.

[0059] Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the exterior of the battery cell mounting part 121 may include at least one layer. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the battery cell mounting part 121 may include an upper plate 121a and a lower plate 121b. The upper plate 121a may be configured so that the plurality of battery cells 110 are mounted on one surface. For example, the upper plate 121a may be in the form of a plate having a predetermined length so that the plurality of battery cells 110 are mounted on one surface (top surface). One surface of the upper plate 121a may be configured to be flat. In another example, the upper plate 121a may be configured to include a structure such as a protrusion to define the mounting position of each battery cell 110.

[0060] The lower plate 121b may be configured to be joined to the other surface of the upper plate 121a on which the plurality of battery cells 110 are not mounted. The lower plate 121b may have an upper portion corresponding to the planar size of the upper plate 121a. That is, the lower plate 121b may have an outer periphery corresponding to the outer periphery of the upper plate 121a.

[0061] The upper plate 121a may be made of at least one layer. The lower plate 121b may be made of at least one layer. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the upper plate 121a may have three layers stacked in the vertical direction, with an outer protective layer 122a at the top, a reinforcing metal layer 122b at the center, and a first inner adhesive layer 122c1 at the bottom. The lower plate 121b may have three layers stacked in the vertical direction, with a second inner adhesive layer 122c2 at the top, a reinforcing metal layer 122b at the center, and an outer protective layer 122a at the bottom. In this case, the first inner adhesive layer 122c1 of the upper plate 121a and the second inner adhesive layer 122c2 of the lower plate 121b may be bonded to each other. For example, the two adhesive layers 122c1 and 122c2 may each include a heat-sealable polymer resin. The two adhesive layers may be heat-sealed to each other. Therefore, the outer peripheries of the lower plate 121b and the upper plate 121a can be heat-welded to each other. For example, when the two adhesive layers 122c1 and 122c2 are made of CPP film, they melt and bond to each other when heat is applied, and are sealed.

[0062] 6, the lower plate 121b may have a concave-convex structure having a portion protruding toward the upper plate 121a in a cross-sectional view. Here, the portion protruding toward the upper plate 121a may be the upper surface of each of the partition walls of the lower plate 121b and the outer periphery of the lower plate 121b. Furthermore, the outer periphery of each of the upper plate 121a and the lower plate 121b may also be heat-welded.

[0063] Since the first inner adhesive layer 122c1 of the upper plate 121a and the second inner adhesive layer 122c2 of the lower plate 121b are bonded to each other, the assembly process of the cooling device 120 can be performed without a separate fastening member. As a result, the present invention can reduce the number of manufacturing parts and shorten the manufacturing time compared to the conventional technology, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. In addition, the outer peripheries of the upper plate 121a and the lower plate 121b are thermally welded to each other, thereby further improving the bonding strength between them. As a result, the present invention can prevent the cooling device 120 from cracking and the cooling medium 123 from leaking from the gap between the upper plate 121a and the lower plate 121b even if an external impact occurs during use of the battery module 100.

[0064] FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view showing a schematic refrigerant injection port of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] 8 in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2, a cooling device 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a cooling medium 123, a coolant flow passage 124, a coolant inlet port 125, and a coolant outlet port 126. Here, the cooling medium 123 may be, for example, water.

[0066] The refrigerant flow passage 124 may be a passage through which the cooling medium 123 flows in the internal space of the battery cell mounting part 121. For example, the refrigerant flow passage 124 may be formed by a space between the upper plate 121a and the lower plate 121b. The refrigerant flow passage 124 may be provided in the lower plate 121b. The refrigerant flow passage 124 is an empty space that protrudes relatively downward and through which the refrigerant can flow. The lower plate 121b may have a partition wall that protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the refrigerant flow passage 124 to partition the empty space. The refrigerant injection port 125 may be connected to the refrigerant flow passage 124 so that the cooling medium 123 fluid cooled outside is injected into the main body. The refrigerant injection port 125 may be located at the front end of the battery cell mounting part 121, for example. The refrigerant discharge port 126 may be connected to the refrigerant flow passage 124 so that the heated cooling medium 123 can be discharged to the outside. The coolant discharge port 126 may be located at the rear end of the battery cell mounting portion 121, for example.

[0067] In addition, a third adhesive layer 122c3 configured to be bonded to an inner surface of the battery cell mounting portion 121 may be formed on the outer side of each of the refrigerant injection port 125 and the refrigerant discharge port 126. The third adhesive layer 122c3 may include a pressure-reducing adhesive component or a heat-sealable polymer resin. For example, the same third adhesive layer 122c3 as the third adhesive layer 122c3 provided on the battery cell mounting portion 121 may be provided. The third adhesive layer 122c3 provided on each of the refrigerant injection port 125 and the refrigerant discharge port 126 and the third adhesive layer 122c3 provided on the battery cell mounting portion 121 may be bonded to each other.

[0068] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present invention, the cooling device 120 includes an upper plate 121a on which a plurality of battery cells 110 are mounted and a lower plate 121b joined to the upper plate 121a, so that the plurality of battery cells 110 can be in direct contact with the upper surface of the cooling device 120 without the need for an intermediate thermal conductive member, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0069] In addition, a third adhesive layer 122c3 configured to be bonded to the inner surface of the battery cell mounting portion 121 is formed on the outer side of each of the refrigerant injection port 125 and the refrigerant discharge port 126, so that the third adhesive layer 122c3 provided on each of the refrigerant injection port 125 and the refrigerant discharge port 126 and the third adhesive layer 122c3 provided on the battery cell mounting portion 121 can be easily bonded to each other. This effectively improves sealing performance of the connection portion between each of the refrigerant injection port 125 and the refrigerant discharge port 126 and the refrigerant flow path 124 provided on the battery cell mounting portion 121. In addition, the present invention simplifies the manufacturing process of the cooling device 120 and significantly improves manufacturing efficiency by setting the same joining method between the port and the battery cell mounting portion 121 and the joining method of the battery cell mounting portion 121.

[0070] 9 is a plan view showing a cooling device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX' of FIG 9.

[0071] 9 and 10 together with FIGS. 1 and 4, a cooling device 120 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be the same as the cooling device 120 of FIG. 2 except that a cut 127 is further formed. The battery cell mounting unit 121 may have a cut 127 formed in a portion facing the battery cell 110, the cut 127 configured to be cut by at least one of the gas and the flame. The cut 127 may be a portion formed to be thinner than the remaining portion of the battery cell mounting unit 121. The cut 127 may be configured to be more easily broken by the gas or flame discharged from the battery cell 110 than the remaining portion of the battery cell mounting unit 121. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the battery cell mounting unit 121 of the cooling device 120 may have a cut 127 formed in a portion facing each of the plurality of battery cells 110. In particular, when the battery cell 110 is a cylindrical battery cell, the notch 127 may have a ring shape that is concentric with the battery cell 110 and is smaller than the diameter of the battery cell 110 .

[0072] In addition, when the upper plate 121a includes the outer protective layer 122a, the reinforcing metal layer 122b, and the first inner adhesive layer 122c1, the notch 127 may be formed by reducing the thickness of a portion of the reinforcing metal layer 122b. The notch 127 may be formed on a multi-layer thin film including the outer protective layer 122a, the reinforcing metal layer 122b, and the first inner adhesive layer 122c1, and may be formed by pressing or hollowing out a portion of the outer protective layer 122a and the reinforcing metal layer 122b to make them thinner than the remaining portions.

[0073] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present invention, by providing a cut 127 configured to be cut by at least one of the gas and the flame in a portion facing the battery cell 110, a portion of the battery cell mounting portion 121 can be more reliably perforated by the cut 127. As a result, in the present invention, the vent portion 113 (described below) for discharging gas or flame of the battery cell 110 is not sealed by the cooling device 120, and the gas or flame can be discharged through the perforated opening of the cooling member. As a result, the present invention can significantly improve the safety of the battery module 100.

[0074] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a cooling device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII' of FIG. 11. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 together with FIGS. 1 and 4, a cooling device 120 according to another embodiment of the present invention is the same as the cooling device 120 of FIG. 2 except that an opening 128 is further formed. The battery cell mounting unit 121 may have an opening 128 configured to be melted by at least one of the gas and the flame in a portion facing the battery cell 110. In particular, when the battery cell 110 is a cylindrical battery cell, the opening 128 may be concentric with the battery cell 110 and may have a circular shape smaller than the diameter of the battery cell 110. The opening 128 may be, for example, a polymer resin having insulating properties and thermoplasticity. For example, the opening 128 may be at least one of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, and polypropylene. The opening 128 may be formed by drilling a hole through the upper plate 121a and then filling the hole with a polymer resin having insulating properties and thermoplasticity.

[0075] 13 is another cross-sectional view taken along the line XII-XII' of FIG. 11. The opening 128 can be formed without forming a hole penetrating the upper plate 121a. When the upper plate 121a includes an outer protective layer 122a, a reinforcing metal layer 122b, and a first inner adhesive layer 122c1, the opening 128 can be formed by perforating the reinforcing metal layer 122b. Even if the outer protective layer 122a is covered on the perforated reinforcing metal layer 122b, the outer protective layer 122a can be easily melted, so that the upper plate 121a can be easily perforated compared to a case where the reinforcing metal layer 122b is not perforated.

[0076] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present invention, by further providing an opening 128 configured to be melted by at least one of the gas and the flame in a portion facing the battery cell 110, when at least one of the gas and the flame is discharged from the battery cell 110, a portion of the battery cell mounting portion 121 can be reliably perforated by the opening 128 melted by the gas or the flame. As a result, in the present invention, the vent portion 113 for discharging the gas or flame of the battery cell 110 is not sealed by the cooling device 120, and the gas or flame can be discharged from the perforated opening of the cooling member. As a result, the present invention can significantly improve the safety of the battery module 100.

[0077] 1 and 4 , a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling device 120 and a plurality of battery cells 110. The battery cells 110 may be mounted on at least one surface of a battery cell mounting portion 121 of the cooling device 120. The cooling device 120 may be thermally welded to a lower portion of the battery cells 110.

[0078] Further, the battery cell 110 may have a vent portion 113 configured to discharge gas or flame inside the body toward the cooling device 120 when abnormal behavior of the battery cell 110 occurs, at a portion facing the cooling device 120. For example, the vent portion 113 may be a portion of the battery can 114 formed to have weaker mechanical rigidity than other portions. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the vent portion 113 may be provided at the lower portion of the battery cell 110. The vent portion 113 may be a portion of the lower portion of the battery can 114 formed to have a thinner thickness. Although not shown, the vent portion 113 may be ring-shaped when viewed from the bottom. When an internal gas pressure of a predetermined pressure or more occurs in the battery cell 110, the battery cell 110 may be cut in a circular shape along the vent portion 113 to more easily discharge gas or flame to the outside of the battery cell 110. The vent portion 113 may be provided in the shape of an opening or cutout of a predetermined size. Also, the vent portion 113 may be formed in a structure in which a film that breaks at a certain level of pressure or more is added to the opening of the predetermined size.

[0079] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present invention, a vent portion 113 configured to exhaust gas and flames inside the main body to the outside when abnormal behavior occurs in the battery cell 110 is provided in a portion facing the cooling device 120, so that the gas and flames exhausted from the battery cell 110 are not transferred to other adjacent battery cells 110 but are exhausted to the outside through the perforated opening of the battery cell mounting portion 121 of the cooling device 120, thereby preventing thermal runaway or ignition of other battery cells 110. This can significantly improve the safety of the battery module 100.

[0080] Fig. 14 is a bottom perspective view illustrating a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the battery module of Fig. 14.

[0081] 14 and 15, a battery module 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention may have the same configuration as the battery module 100 of FIG. 1, except that the arrangement positions of the multiple battery cells 110 and the cooling device 120 are different compared to the battery module 100 of FIG. 1.

[0082] 14, the cooling device 120 may be located on the upper part of the battery cells 110. Also, the battery cells 110 may be arranged in a form in which the upper part and the lower part are reversed. That is, unlike the battery module 100 of FIG. 1, each of the battery cells 110 may have a vent portion 113 located on the upper part and a positive terminal 111 and a negative terminal 112 located on the lower part. Also, the lower surface of the cooling device 120 of the battery module 100 of FIG. 14 may be located to face the vent portion 113 of each of the battery cells 110.

[0083] Also, the cooling device 120 may be configured to discharge the cooling medium 123 therein to the outside through a perforated portion of the battery cell mounting portion 121. That is, when abnormal behavior occurs in one or more of the plurality of battery cells 110 and one or more of internal gas and flame are discharged to the outside through the vent portion 113, a portion of the battery cell mounting portion 121 of the cooling device 120 is perforated, and the cooling medium 123 contained inside the cooling device 120 may be discharged to the outside through the thus perforated opening O. The cooling medium 123 discharged to the outside may move to the plurality of battery cells 110 and directly cool the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0084] Therefore, according to the configuration of the present invention, the cooling device 120 is located above the plurality of battery cells 110, the plurality of battery cells 110 are mounted so as to face the lower surface of the cooling device 120, and the vent portion 113 is located so as to face the cooling device 120. In this way, when abnormal behavior occurs in any one or more of the plurality of battery cells 110 and any one or more of internal gas and flame are discharged to the outside from the vent portion 113, a part of the battery cell mounting portion 121 of the cooling device 120 is perforated, and the cooling medium 123 contained inside the cooling device 120 can be discharged to the outside from the thus perforated opening O. The cooling medium 123 discharged to the outside moves to the plurality of battery cells 110 and can directly cool the plurality of battery cells 110, so that the fire in the battery module 100 can be suppressed and the propagation of thermal runaway to the plurality of battery cells 110 can be prevented. That is, when venting occurs in at least one of the battery cells 110, gas and flames from the vented battery cell 110 are discharged toward the cooling device 120, thereby perforating a portion of the battery cell mounting portion 121, and the cooling medium 123 inside the cooling device 120, e.g., water, is instantly injected from the perforated portion of the battery cell mounting portion 121 toward the vented battery cell 110 side, thereby quickly extinguishing the ignited cell and instantly suppressing the thermal event.

[0085] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] 16, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be included in an automobile 200 such as an electric automobile or a hybrid automobile. That is, the automobile 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may have the battery module 100 mounted inside the vehicle body.

[0087] FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a power storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] 17, a battery rack 300 of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules 100 and a rack case 310. The plurality of battery modules 100 may be configured to be accommodated in the rack case 310 in a vertically arranged form.

[0089] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms indicate relative positions and are used only for convenience of explanation, and may change depending on the position of the target object, the position of the observer, etc.

[0090] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations can be made by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 110 Battery Cell 120 Cooling device 121 Battery cell mounting section

Claims

1. A cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, comprising: a battery cell mounting portion configured so that the plurality of battery cells are mounted on at least one surface thereof, and a portion facing the battery cells is perforated when at least one of gas and flame is ejected from the battery cells; The battery cell mounting portion includes: an upper plate configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on one surface; A lower plate configured to be joined to the other surface of the upper plate; Including, the upper plate and the lower plate each comprise a multi-layer film having a thickness of 10 μm to 900 μm; At least one of gas and flame discharged from the battery cells moves in a direction opposite to a position where the plurality of battery cells are mounted through a perforated opening in the battery cell mounting portion.

2. The battery cell mounting portion includes: The cooling device according to claim 1 , comprising at least one layer configured such that a portion of one surface is perforated by at least one of the gas and the flame.

3. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the multi-layer film includes an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer.

4. 4. The cooling device of claim 3, wherein the outer protective layer is a polymer resin having insulating properties, the reinforcing metal layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), carbon (C), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), stainless steel (SUS), and an alloy including at least two of these metals, and the inner adhesive layer includes a pressure-reducing adhesive component or a heat-welding polymer resin.

5. The cooling device according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing metal layer has a thickness in the range of 1 μm to 100 μm.

6. A cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, comprising: a battery cell mounting portion configured so that the plurality of battery cells are mounted on at least one surface thereof, and a portion facing the battery cells is perforated when at least one of gas and flame is ejected from the battery cells; The cooling device includes: a refrigerant flow path configured to allow a cooling medium to flow inside the battery cell mounting portion; a coolant injection port communicating with the coolant flow path and into which a cooling medium is injected; a coolant discharge port communicating with the coolant flow path and through which the cooling medium is discharged; Equipped with a cooling device comprising: an adhesive layer formed on an outer side of each of the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port, the adhesive layer being configured to be bonded to an inner surface of the battery cell mounting portion;

7. The battery cell mounting portion includes: an upper plate configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on one surface; A lower plate configured to be joined to the other surface of the upper plate; Including, The upper plate and the lower plate each include an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer; 7. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein the inner adhesive layer of the upper plate and the inner adhesive layer of the lower plate are bonded to each other.

8. A cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, comprising: a battery cell mounting portion configured so that the plurality of battery cells are mounted on at least one surface thereof, and a portion facing the battery cells is perforated when at least one of gas and flame is ejected from the battery cells; a notch configured to be cut by at least one of the gas and the flame is formed in a portion of the battery cell mounting portion facing the battery cell, A cooling device, wherein the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell, and the notch is concentric with the battery cell and has a ring shape smaller than a diameter of the battery cell.

9. A cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, comprising: a battery cell mounting portion configured so that the plurality of battery cells are mounted on at least one surface thereof, and a portion facing the battery cells is perforated when at least one of gas and flame is ejected from the battery cells; a notch configured to be cut by at least one of the gas and the flame is formed in a portion of the battery cell mounting portion facing the battery cell, The battery cell mounting portion includes: an upper plate configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on one surface; A lower plate configured to be joined to the other surface of the upper plate; Including, The upper plate and the lower plate each include an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer; The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the notch is formed by reducing a thickness of a portion of the reinforcing metal layer.

10. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the battery cell mounting portion has an opening at a portion facing the battery cell, the opening being configured to be melted by at least one of the gas and the flame.

11. 11. The cooling device according to claim 10, wherein the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell, and the opening is concentric with the battery cell and has a circular shape smaller than a diameter of the battery cell.

12. A cooling device for cooling a plurality of battery cells, comprising: a battery cell mounting portion configured so that the plurality of battery cells are mounted on at least one surface thereof, and a portion facing the battery cells is perforated when at least one of gas and flame is ejected from the battery cells; the battery cell mounting portion has an opening configured to be melted by at least one of the gas and the flame in a portion facing the battery cell, The battery cell mounting section includes: an upper plate configured to mount the plurality of battery cells on one surface; A lower plate configured to be joined to the other surface of the upper plate; Including, The upper plate and the lower plate each include an outer protective layer, a reinforcing metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer; The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed by perforating the reinforcing metal layer.

13. A cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, a plurality of battery cells mounted on at least one surface of a battery cell mounting portion of the cooling device; A battery module comprising:

14. The battery cell includes:

14. The battery module according to claim 13, further comprising a vent portion at a portion facing the cooling device, the vent portion being configured to allow gas or flames inside the body to be discharged toward the cooling device when abnormal behavior of the battery cell occurs.

15. the cooling device is located above the plurality of battery cells; each of the plurality of battery cells is mounted so as to face a lower surface of the cooling device; The battery module according to claim 14 , wherein the vent portion is positioned to face the cooling device.

16. The cooling device includes: The battery module according to claim 15, wherein the cooling medium inside the battery module is discharged to the outside through a perforated portion of the battery cell mounting portion.

17. the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell having a vent portion at a lower portion thereof configured to exhaust gas or flames inside the battery cell toward the cooling device when an abnormal behavior of the battery cell occurs; The battery module according to claim 13 , wherein the cooling device is thermally welded to a lower portion of the battery cell.

18. The cooling device has an internal cooling medium of water, 18. The battery module according to claim 17, wherein the cooling medium is configured to be injected from a perforated portion of the battery cell mounting portion to a vented battery cell side.

19. A power storage system comprising the battery module described in claim 13.

20. A motor vehicle comprising a battery module as described in claim 13.

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