Battery pack with improved fire safety

Abstract

The battery pack according to the present invention may include one or more battery modules, a pack case including a pack tray that is open at the top and has an internal space for accommodating the battery modules, and a pack cover coupled to the top of the pack tray, the pack cover having a valve mounting hole formed by penetrating a predetermined area, a lower cover disposed on the top of the pack tray, a flow path region that forms a path for cooling water, an upper cover disposed on an upper surface of the lower cover, and a valve unit attached to the valve mounting hole and rotating clockwise or counterclockwise to supply or block the cooling water in the flow path region to the internal space of the pack tray.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly to a battery pack having a water injection structure that can effectively inject cooling water into the battery pack to extinguish a fire and prevent it from spreading when a thermal event occurs in a battery module.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0071951, filed on June 14, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof. [Background technology]

[0003] Secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving energy efficiency, not only because they have the primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels, but also because they are environmentally friendly as they do not produce any by-products from energy use.

[0004] Accordingly, secondary batteries are increasingly being applied to various devices. For example, they are widely used as energy sources for wireless mobile devices and wearable devices, which are small, multi-functional products, and also as energy sources and energy storage systems (ESS) for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, which are presented as alternatives to existing gasoline and diesel vehicles.

[0005] Typically, the operating voltage of each secondary battery is approximately 2.5 V to 4.5 V. Therefore, in the case of electric vehicles and power storage devices that require large capacity and high output, a battery module in which multiple lithium secondary batteries are connected in series and / or parallel, and a battery pack in which the battery modules are connected in series and / or parallel, are configured and used as an energy source.

[0006] As secondary batteries are increasingly used as large-capacity, high-output energy sources, ensuring the safety of the battery modules / packs has become an important issue.

[0007] Recent battery modules are designed to pack as many rechargeable batteries as possible in a compact manner to improve energy density, so if one of the rechargeable batteries malfunctions and ignites, it is likely to cause a thermal runaway phenomenon, in which the fire spreads to other nearby rechargeable batteries.For this reason, active research has been conducted recently on battery packs that include fire extinguishing systems to suppress a fire in one rechargeable battery before it spreads to other rechargeable batteries or battery modules.

[0008] However, conventional battery pack fire extinguishing systems often delay the injection of water when a fire breaks out in a battery module, resulting in the loss of the initial golden time to prevent the spread of the fire. Therefore, an improved solution is needed. Furthermore, while battery packs include a cooling system to properly manage the operating temperature of the battery module, adding a separate fire extinguishing system to the battery pack in addition to the cooling system creates disadvantages in terms of production process, design, and cost. 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 battery pack with a water injection structure that can effectively inject cooling water into the battery pack to extinguish a fire and prevent it from spreading when a thermal event occurs in a battery module.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack that integrates a cooling system and a fire extinguishing system so that cooling water for managing the temperature of the battery module can be used to suppress a fire without the need to apply additional fire extinguishing water or fire extinguishing agent to the battery pack.

[0011] The technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to the present invention, there may be provided a battery pack including: one or more battery modules; a pack case including a pack tray that is open at the top and has an internal space for accommodating the battery modules; and a pack cover coupled to the top of the pack tray, wherein the pack cover has a valve mounting hole formed through it in a predetermined area; a lower cover that is disposed on the top of the pack tray; a flow path area that forms a path for cooling water; an upper cover that is disposed on an upper surface of the lower cover; and a valve unit that is attached to the valve mounting hole and rotates clockwise or counterclockwise to supply or block cooling water in the flow path area to the internal space of the pack tray.

[0013] The battery pack tray may further include a gas detector disposed inside the pack tray or inside the battery module, and the valve unit may be configured to rotate based on a gas detection signal from the gas detector.

[0014] The valve unit and the gas detector may be connected by a signal transmission cable.

[0015] The valve unit may include a rotary plate that is inserted into the valve mounting opening and rotatably provided, and a drain hole formed in one area of ​​the rotary plate.

[0016] The valve unit may be configured so that the rotary plate can be rotated at a predetermined angle so that the drain hole is in a closed state where it is misaligned with the flow path area and does not communicate with the flow path area, or in an open state where at least a portion of the drain hole is aligned with the bottom of the flow path area and communicates with the flow path area.

[0017] The drainage holes may be rectangular in shape.

[0018] The flow path region may include straight sections spaced apart at regular intervals and curved sections connecting the straight sections, and the drainage hole may have a short side length shorter than the separation distance between the straight sections and a long side length longer than the separation distance between the straight sections.

[0019] The one or more battery modules may be a plurality of battery modules, and the pack tray may include a plurality of module accommodating sections in which the internal space is divided by partitions, and one of the battery modules may be disposed in each of the module accommodating sections.

[0020] Each of the module housings may be configured to be covered by a bottom cover and have a sealed top.

[0021] A plurality of the valve units may be coupled to the lower cover so as to be positioned vertically above each of the battery modules.

[0022] The battery module may include battery cells and a module housing that accommodates the battery cells. The module housing may include a drainage channel recessed to a predetermined depth in an upper plate portion and extending from one edge to the other edge.

[0023] The drainage channel may be provided at a vertically lower portion of the valve unit.

[0024] A bus bar frame that electrically connects the battery cells may be configured to be disposed below the end of the drainage channel.

[0025] A gas detector is attached to one side wall of the pack tray, the valve unit and the gas detector are connected by a signal transmission cable, the valve unit is configured to rotate based on a gas detection signal from the gas detector, and the signal transmission cable may be interposed in a cable routing groove formed in an upper plate portion of the module housing.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, there may be provided a vehicle including the battery pack described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery pack having a water injection structure that can effectively inject cooling water into the battery pack when a thermal event occurs in a battery module, thereby suppressing the fire and preventing its spread.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the present invention, venting gas leaking from a battery module where a thermal event has occurred before a flame occurs can be actively detected, and a valve unit can be opened to inject a large amount of cooling water into the battery module, thereby enabling rapid response.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the cooling water for controlling the temperature of the battery module is used to suppress a fire in the battery module, there is no need to apply additional fire-extinguishing water or fire-extinguishing agent to the battery pack.

[0030] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the interior of the pack case is divided into a plurality of zones by partition walls, when vent gas is generated in a specific zone among the plurality of zones, cooling water is injected only into the specific zone, thereby preventing water damage to battery modules disposed in other zones.

[0031] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects of the present invention not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing a battery module and a pack tray according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a battery module and a gas detector mounted in the internal space of a pack tray partitioned by a partition wall. [Figure 5] 5 is a diagram showing a lower cover and a valve unit arranged on the upper part of the pack tray of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a view showing a lower cover to which the valve unit of FIG. 5 is attached and an upper cover that is placed on top of the lower cover. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of a configuration for bolting together a pack tray and a pack cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a closed state of a valve unit of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an open state of a valve unit of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the pack cover omitted from FIG. 9, and is a diagram for explaining the movement path of cooling water in the internal passage of the pack tray when the valve unit is in an open state. [Figure 11] 11 is a diagram showing an example in which only the first module housing portion is filled with cooling water in FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical concept of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concept of terms in order to best explain the invention. 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 concept of the present invention, and therefore various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG.

[0035] 1 and 2, a battery pack 10 according to the present invention includes one or more battery modules 100, a pack case 200, and a valve unit 300.

[0036] A battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes three battery modules 100A, 100B, and 100C, and a pack case 200 having an internal space divided by a partition wall 211 to provide three module receiving sections 213A, 213B, and 213C, each capable of receiving one of the battery modules 100. However, the battery pack 10 may be configured with one, two, or four or more battery modules 100 depending on the electrical capacity or output required, and the size of the pack case 200 and the presence or absence of the partition wall 211 or the number thereof may be determined accordingly.

[0037] 2, the pack case 200 includes a pack tray 210 and a pack cover 220 that accommodate the battery modules 100 and are coupled to each other vertically. In particular, the pack cover 220 is configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough, so that the battery modules 100 can be cooled by indirect contact with the coolant. The valve unit 300 is attached to the pack cover 220 so as to be rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise, and is attached to a valve mounting hole 222 provided in the pack cover 220 so as to prevent coolant from leaking out of the pack cover 220 under normal conditions. When a fire hazard, such as gas generation in the battery module 100, is detected, the valve unit 300 rotates to a predetermined angle, allowing the coolant in the pack cover 220 to flow downward and into the pack tray 210.

[0038] According to this configuration of the battery pack 10, the temperature of the battery module 100 can be maintained at an appropriate level under normal circumstances, and when a thermal event occurs, cooling water can be quickly injected into the internal space of the pack tray 210, thereby effectively preventing the spread of a fire in the battery module 100.

[0039] The main configuration of the battery pack 10 will be described in more detail below.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, a battery module 100 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of battery cells and a module housing 110 that houses the plurality of battery cells.

[0041] The battery cell may be any type of battery cell known at the time of filing of the present invention, such as a substantially cylindrical or rectangular battery cell in which an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are hermetically sealed in a metal can-type exterior material, or a substantially plate-shaped pouch-type battery cell in which an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are hermetically sealed in a pouch-type exterior material.

[0042] The battery module 100 of this embodiment includes pouch-type battery cells (not shown). For example, the pouch-type battery cells may be stacked in the left-right direction (X direction) with their wide surfaces facing each other and housed in the module housing 110 in the form of a cell stack. Therefore, the battery module 100 employing the pouch-type battery cells may have a high energy density. The pouch-type battery cells may have electrode leads located at one or both ends in the longitudinal direction (Y direction), and the electrode leads may be electrically connected to each other by being welded to a metal rod-shaped bus bar connected to the bus bar frame 120.

[0043] The module housing 110 is a structure for preventing the battery cells from moving and protecting them from external impacts, and may be made of a material with high mechanical rigidity. In this embodiment, the module housing 110 includes an upper plate 111, a lower plate, a left side side side, and a right side side, which respectively cover the upper, lower, left side, and right side of the cell stack, and may be open at the front and rear. Electrode leads of pouch-type battery cells may be positioned at the front and rear of the open module housing 110, and the electrode leads may be welded to a bus bar frame 120 in a predetermined pattern. The portions where the electrode leads are welded may be covered with end plates (not shown) to prevent them from being exposed to the outside. Although not shown for convenience of illustration, the end plates may be configured to be coupled to the front and rear of the module housing 110.

[0044] The pack case 200 is a structure that houses one or more battery modules 100 to protect them from external impacts and to prevent flames or sparks from easily escaping from the battery pack 10 in the event of a fire occurring in the battery module 100.

[0045] The pack case 200 includes a pack tray 210 and a pack cover 220 .

[0046] The pack tray 210 may be open at the top and have an internal space for accommodating the battery modules 100. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the pack tray 210 includes a large-area bottom plate on which a plurality of battery modules 100 can be arranged, and a wall body provided on an edge of the bottom plate and installed higher than at least the battery modules 100. The internal space may be specified as a space surrounded by the bottom plate and the wall body. In addition, a bolt fastening hole may be provided on an upper end surface of the wall body.

[0047] The pack tray 210 according to this embodiment further includes partition walls 211 that divide the internal space into a plurality of regions. Hereinafter, each of the regions divided by the partition walls 211 will be defined as a module receiving portion 213.

[0048] The partition walls 211 may be formed to the same height as the wall body, so that when the pack cover 220 is coupled to the pack tray 210, the top and side of each module receiving portion 213 may be shielded and sealed by the pack cover 220 and the partition walls 211.

[0049] The battery modules 100 are placed one by one in the module receiving portions 213, and the pack tray 210 and the pack cover 220 are fastened with bolts B. Thus, the battery modules 100 are positioned in a closed space within the pack case 200. For reference, the battery modules 100 may be electrically connected to each other in series and / or parallel. Although not shown in drawings such as FIG. 3 to avoid obscuring the essence of the present invention, the battery modules 100 may be electrically connected to each other by cables or flexible bus bars, and the cables or flexible bus bars may be installed to pass through the partition wall 211 or the bottom plate of the pack tray 210. Of course, the portions where the cables or flexible bus bars pass through the partition wall 211 or the pack tray 210 may be sealed.

[0050] According to the above configuration, for example, if any battery module 100 located in a specific area catches fire, the flames do not spread to other battery modules 100 located in other areas. Also, as will be described later, if cooling water is injected into the specific area from the pack cover 220 to suppress a fire in any of the battery modules 100, the movement of cooling water to other areas can be blocked. Therefore, even if cooling water is injected into the pack tray 210, the other battery modules 100 except for the battery module 100 in which a thermal event occurred can be reused normally.

[0051] The pack cover 220 covers the battery module 100 and may be attachable to the top of the pack tray 210. In particular, the pack cover 220 according to the present invention is composed of two plates to cover the pack tray 210 and to have a flow path through which cooling water flows, and one of the two plates may be used to cover the pack tray 210 and the other may be used to form the flow path.

[0052] The pack cover 220 is fastened to the pack tray 210 with bolts B and is coupled to the top of the pack tray 210, and includes an inlet for introducing coolant into the flow path, as indicated by "In" in Fig. 1, and an outlet for discharging coolant from the flow path to the outside, as indicated by "Out." In one example, the battery pack 10 of the present invention can be mounted in an automobile, and in this case, piping can be connected to the inlet and the outlet so that coolant used to cool heat-generating components in the automobile enters the flow path from the inlet of the pack cover 220 and is discharged to the outside through the outlet.

[0053] Looking at the main components of the pack cover 220, as shown in FIG. 2, the pack cover 220 includes a lower cover 221 that is placed on the top of the pack tray 210 and has a valve mounting port 222 formed by penetrating through a predetermined area, and an upper cover 223 that has a contact area 225 that faces the upper surface of the lower cover 221 and a flow path area 224 that bulges out from the upper surface of the lower cover 221 to allow the flow of cooling water.

[0054] The lower cover 221 has an area sufficient to cover the upper part of the pack tray 210, and may be provided in the form of a plate with only the valve mounting opening 222 open. The valve mounting opening 222 is a hole formed in the lower cover 221 to allow the coolant to flow from the upper part to the lower part of the lower cover 221, and three valve mounting openings 222 are provided in this embodiment. The three valve mounting openings 222A, 222B, and 222C are provided at the vertical upper part of each battery module 100. A valve unit 300 is attached to each of the valve mounting openings 222A, 222B, and 222C, so that the valve unit 300 can be located at the vertical upper part of each battery module 100.

[0055] In this embodiment, the valve unit 300 includes a first valve unit 300A, a second valve unit 300B, and a third valve unit 300C. The three valve units 300A, 300B, and 300C are attached to the three valve mounting holes 222A, 222B, and 222C and are rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise, respectively, to supply or block the cooling water in the pack cover 220 to the internal space of the pack tray 210.

[0056] The valve unit 300 includes a rotating plate 310 that is inserted into and rotatably disposed in the valve mounting opening 222, and a drainage hole 320 formed in one area of ​​the rotating plate 310. The valve mounting opening 222 may be provided in a form in which the diameter size is larger at the top than at the bottom in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the lower cover 221. The rotating plate 310 can be attached to the valve mounting opening 222 so that it does not slip out downwardly from the valve mounting opening 222, as its peripheral edge is located at the boundary surface between the small diameter and the large diameter in the valve mounting opening 222.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 5 , the rotating plate 310 includes an outer circular portion 310a and an inner circular portion 310b. The outer circular portion 310a is fixedly attached to the boundary surface within the valve mounting opening 222, and the inner circular portion 310b is rotatable within the outer circular portion 310a. A driving device for rotating the inner circular portion 310b may be built into the outer circular portion 310a and / or the inner circular portion 310b. The driving device may include a motor, gears, a rotating shaft, etc. However, any driving device having an operating mechanism that can rotate the rotating plate 310 within the valve mounting opening 222 may be used.

[0058] The drain hole 320 refers to a region formed through the rotary plate 310 so that the coolant can be discharged from the top to the bottom of the rotary plate 310. When the valve unit 300 is rotated, the drain hole 320 vertically aligns with a flow path region 224 of an upper cover 223 (described later), allowing the coolant to be discharged from the drain hole 320 to the bottom of the rotary plate 310. A more detailed description will be given later.

[0059] 6 and 7, the upper cover 223 includes a flow path region 224 that bulges out from the upper surface of the lower cover 221 and forms a path for the coolant to move, and a contact region 225 that is disposed to face and contact the upper surface of the lower cover 221. The upper cover 223 is disposed to face the lower cover 221 that is disposed on the pack tray 210, and can be coupled to the lower cover 221 by bolts B to be fixed integrally to the upper end of the pack tray 210.

[0060] Additionally, the flow path region 224 of the upper cover 223 may include straight sections 224a spaced apart at regular intervals and curved sections 224b connecting the straight sections 224a. The straight sections 224a extend from an inlet located on one side of the pack case 200 in the +Y direction to the other end of the pack case 200. A curved section 224b may extend from the end of the straight section 224a in the +X direction, and another straight section 224a may extend from the end of the curved section 224b in the -Y direction. Repeating the straight sections 224a and curved sections 224b in this pattern allows the coolant to flow over a wide area on the pack cover 220 before being discharged through the outlet, thereby absorbing heat from within the pack case 200.

[0061] In addition, a valve unit 300 is applied to the pack cover 220 so that the cooling water flowing along the flow path can be used to suppress a fire in the battery module 100 when a thermal event occurs.

[0062] In other words, the valve unit 300 is applied to the pack cover 220 so that it can be rotated to a predetermined angle to either a closed state in which the drain hole 320 is misaligned with the flow path area 224 and does not communicate with it, or an open state in which at least a portion of the drain hole 320 is aligned with the bottom of the flow path area 224 and communicates with it.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 8, the drainage hole 320 may be formed in an approximately rectangular shape with a short side length D2 shorter than the separation distance D1 between adjacent straight sections 224a in the flow path region 224 and a long side length longer than the separation distance D1 between the straight sections 224a.

[0064] Therefore, if the portion of the rotating plate 310 without the drainage hole 320 is positioned below the straight section 224a of the flow path area 224 and the drainage hole 320 is positioned between the straight sections 224a, the cooling water will not leak from the flow path of the pack cover 220.

[0065] Conversely, as shown in FIG. 9, when the rotating plate 310 is rotated to position at least a portion of the drain hole 320 below the flow path area 224, the cooling water in the flow path can fall from the drain hole 320 below the lower cover 221 and be injected into the inside of the pack tray 210.

[0066] Meanwhile, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a gas detector 400 that rotates the valve unit 300 when vent gas is generated in the battery module 100, thereby preemptively injecting cooling water before a flame is generated in the battery module 100.

[0067] 2 to 4, 10 and 11, the gas detector 400 according to this embodiment is attached to one side wall of the pack tray 210 and may be provided for each of the three module receiving portions 213. Although not shown, the gas detector 400 may be disposed inside the battery module 100. The gas detector 400 disposed inside the battery module 100 may be embodied as a miniature gas sensor (not shown).

[0068] As described above, by applying the gas detector 400 inside the pack case 200, it is possible to detect vent gas generated in the battery module 100, and the valve unit 300 can be configured to rotate to an open state based on a gas detection signal from the gas detector 400.

[0069] For example, the gas detector 400 and the valve unit 300 may be connected by a signal transmission cable 500, and when an operating signal or driving power is transmitted to the valve unit 300 via the signal transmission cable 500, the rotating plate 310 of the valve unit 300 may be rotated, thereby allowing cooling water to be injected from the pack cover 220 into the inside of the pack tray 210.

[0070] In the case of the battery pack 10 of this embodiment, as described above, the internal space of the pack tray 210 is divided by the partition wall 211, and three module accommodating sections 213 are provided, with one battery module 100 disposed in each module accommodating section 213. The gas detector 400 is provided in each module accommodating section 213 to detect gas therein, and one valve unit 300 is also disposed vertically above each module accommodating section 213. Therefore, each valve unit 300 operates based on a gas detection signal from the gas detector 400 connected thereto, and cooling water is not supplied to a module accommodating section 213 in which vent gas is not detected.

[0071] In addition, the module housing 110 of the battery module 100 according to this embodiment includes a drainage channel 113 recessed to a predetermined depth on the upper plate 111 and extending from one edge to the other. The drainage channel 113 is located vertically below the valve unit 300. According to this configuration, when the valve unit 300 rotates and coolant drops from the drainage hole 320, the coolant moves along the drainage channel 113 of the module housing 110 in the front-rear direction (±Y direction) of the battery module 100.

[0072] As the coolant moves in the front-to-rear direction of the battery module 100, a larger amount of coolant can flow to the electrode lead portion of the battery cell because the bus bar frame 120 is located below the end of the drainage channel 113. Since vent gas and fires are usually generated in the electrode lead portion, the fire suppression effect can be improved by allowing the coolant to flow preferentially to the electrode lead portion as described above.

[0073] In addition, the upper plate 111 of the housing of the battery module 100 includes a cable installation groove 115. A signal transmission cable 500 connecting the gas detector 400 and the valve unit 300 may be interposed and fixed in the cable installation groove 115.

[0074] According to the configuration of the battery pack 10 according to the present invention as described above, when a thermal event occurs in the first battery module 100A and vent gas is detected by the gas detector 400, the first valve unit 300A immediately rotates to an open state, causing the coolant in the pack cover 220 to fall through the drain hole 320 of the first valve unit 300A onto the first battery module 100A, as shown in FIG. 10. As described above, the first module accommodating portion 213A, the second module accommodating portion 213B, and the third module accommodating portion 213C are physically isolated from each other, and the gas detectors 400 of the second module accommodating portion 213B and the third module accommodating portion 213C do not detect the vent gas in the first module accommodating portion 213A, so the second valve unit 300B and the third valve unit 300C do not operate. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, only the first module accommodating portion 213A is filled with coolant. Therefore, the first battery module 100A is immersed in cooling water before a flame occurs, thereby preventing ignition, and the second battery module 100B and the third battery module 100C are not submerged in water, allowing them to be reused.

[0075] Next, a brief description of the automobile according to the present invention will be given with reference to FIG.

[0076] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle including a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] 12, a vehicle 1 according to the present invention may include a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 20, an inverter 30, and a motor 40. Preferably, the vehicle 1 may be an electric vehicle.

[0078] The battery pack 10 can be used as an electric energy source to provide driving force to the motor 40 to drive the vehicle 1. The battery pack 10 can be charged or discharged by the inverter 30 through the driving of the motor 40 and / or an internal combustion engine (not shown). The battery pack 10 can be charged by a regenerative charging device coupled to a brake. The battery pack 10 can be electrically connected to the motor 40 of the vehicle through the inverter 30.

[0079] The ECU 20 is an electronic control unit that controls the state of the automobile 1. For example, it determines torque information based on information such as accelerator, brake, and speed, and controls the output of the motor 40 in accordance with the torque information. The ECU 20 also transmits a control signal to the inverter 30 to charge or discharge the battery pack 10 based on state information such as SOC and SOH of the battery pack 10 transmitted by the BMS. The inverter 30 charges or discharges the battery pack 10 based on the control signal from the ECU 610. The motor 40 drives the automobile 1 using the electrical energy of the battery pack 10 based on control information (e.g., torque information) transmitted from the ECU 20.

[0080] As described above, the battery pack 10 normally maintains the temperature of the battery module 100 at an appropriate level, and when a thermal event occurs in the battery module 100, the battery module 100 where the thermal event occurred can be quickly flooded with water using the coolant used to manage the temperature of the battery module 100, thereby preventing a fire. Therefore, safety is maintained even if a problem occurs in the battery pack 10 while the automobile 1 is running.

[0081] Although the present invention has been described above using limited examples and drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims.

[0082] Although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right are used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the position of the object in question, the position of the observer, etc.

Claims

1. one or more battery modules; a pack case including a pack tray having an open top and an internal space for accommodating the battery module, and a pack cover coupled to an upper portion of the pack tray; Including, The pack cover is a lower cover disposed on top of the pack tray, the lower cover having a valve mounting hole formed therethrough in a predetermined area; a flow path region that forms a flow path for cooling water; an upper cover disposed on an upper surface of the lower cover; a valve unit attached to the valve mounting port, which rotates clockwise or counterclockwise to supply or cut off the cooling water in the flow path region to the internal space of the pack tray; Including, The valve unit includes: a rotary plate inserted into the valve mounting port and rotatably provided; a drainage hole formed in one area of ​​the rotating plate; Including, The valve unit includes: the rotating plate is rotatable at a predetermined angle so as to change from a closed state in which the drain hole is misaligned with the flow path region and does not communicate with the flow path region to an open state in which at least a portion of the drain hole is aligned with a lower portion of the flow path region and communicates with the flow path region.

2. Further comprising a gas detector disposed inside the pack tray or inside the battery module; The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the valve unit is configured to rotate based on a gas detection signal from the gas detector.

3. 3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the valve unit and the gas detector are connected by a signal transmission cable.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the drainage hole is rectangular.

5. the flow path region includes straight sections spaced apart at regular intervals and curved sections connecting the straight sections, The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the drain hole has a short side length shorter than the distance between the straight sections and a long side length longer than the distance between the straight sections.

6. the one or more battery modules are a plurality of battery modules; the pack tray includes a plurality of module accommodating sections, the internal space of which is partitioned by partition walls; The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein each of the module receiving sections includes one battery module.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein each of the module receiving portions is covered by a lower cover and configured to have an upper portion sealed.

8. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the valve units are coupled to the lower cover so as to be positioned vertically above each of the battery modules.

9. One or more battery modules; a pack case including a pack tray having an open top and an internal space for accommodating the battery module, and a pack cover coupled to an upper portion of the pack tray; Including, The pack cover is a lower cover disposed on top of the pack tray, the lower cover having a valve mounting hole formed therethrough in a predetermined area; a flow path region that forms a flow path for cooling water; an upper cover disposed on an upper surface of the lower cover; a valve unit attached to the valve mounting port, which rotates clockwise or counterclockwise to supply or cut off the cooling water in the flow path region to the internal space of the pack tray; Including, the battery module includes battery cells and a module housing that houses the battery cells; The module housing is recessed to a predetermined depth in an upper plate portion thereof, and has a drainage channel extending from one edge to the other edge.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein the drainage channel is provided at a vertically lower portion of the valve unit.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein a bus bar frame that electrically connects the battery cells is disposed below an end portion of the drainage channel.

12. a gas sensor is attached to one side wall of the pack tray, and the valve unit and the gas sensor are connected by a signal transmission cable; the valve unit is configured to rotate based on a gas detection signal from the gas detector; The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the signal transmission cable is inserted in a cable routing groove formed in an upper plate of the module housing.

13. A motor vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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