A direct liquid cooling battery module, a direct liquid cooling battery cell and method thereof

Abstract

A battery module for direct water cooling according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises at least one battery cell including a cell body having a built-in electrode and having non-polarity, and a waterproof cover bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body respectively to prevent moisture penetration into the cell body, and a cell frame in which cooling water can flow and the at least one battery cell is spaced apart, wherein the cooling water is a general cooling water that is not insulated.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a direct water-cooled battery module, a battery cell, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell, and more specifically, to a direct water-cooled battery module, a battery cell, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell that can cool heat generated in a battery cell using low-cost general cooling water instead of high-cost special cooling water that has been insulated. Background Technology

[0002] As serious issues such as global warming and environmental pollution have emerged, research and development on eco-friendly vehicles capable of minimizing environmental pollution are actively underway in the automotive industry, and the market is gradually expanding.

[0003] As eco-friendly vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which utilize electric motors to generate driving force using electrical energy instead of engines that burn conventional fossil fuels, are being launched globally.

[0004] Among these eco-friendly vehicles utilizing electric energy, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles receive power from external charging facilities connected to the grid to charge the batteries equipped in the vehicles, and use the charged power from the batteries to produce the kinetic energy required for driving the vehicles.

[0005] Since the batteries used in these eco-friendly vehicles require high output, they generate a large amount of heat. To improve battery performance and lifespan, it is very important to efficiently dissipate the heat generated by the battery to prevent it from overheating.

[0006] Conventionally, direct air cooling, indirect water cooling, or direct water cooling methods are known as cooling systems for dissipating heat from batteries.

[0007] Direct air cooling is a method of supplying cooling air directly between multiple cells that make up a battery.

[0008] The indirect water cooling method is a method in which a channel for coolant to flow is provided on one side of the battery, and a cooling plate in contact with the cooling channel is placed between multiple cells to indirectly discharge heat from the battery cells into the cooling channel.

[0009] The direct water cooling method involves directly immersing battery cells in coolant, allowing heat from the cells to be directly discharged into the coolant.

[0010] Referring to FIG. 1, a direct water-cooled battery module (10) is composed of a cell frame (11) and a plurality of battery cells (12). The plurality of battery cells (12) are spaced apart from each other on the cell frame (11). The cell frame (11) is provided so that cooling water can flow through it.

[0011] Generally, battery cells are manufactured with an outer casing containing internal electrodes made of nickel-plated iron. Consequently, when battery cells are directly immersed in coolant, there are issues such as vulnerability to corrosion due to the material properties of the casing, the casing being polarized, and poor electrical insulation.

[0012] Accordingly, conventional direct water-cooled battery modules use insulating oil or special cooling water (e.g., 3M NOVEC) due to problems with battery cell corrosion and insulation. However, the insulating oil currently used as a cooling water has the problem of being susceptible to fire.

[0013] In addition, special coolants such as 3M NOVEC are excellent products for battery cell coolants because they are non-polar and corrosion-resistant, but they are expensive at around 1 million won per 20 liters, which increases the manufacturing cost of battery modules and lowers the market competitiveness of the product. Prior art literature

[0014] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0049713 discloses a secondary battery and a method for manufacturing the secondary battery. The problem to be solved

[0015] The present invention aims to provide a direct water-cooled battery module, a battery cell, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell that can cool heat generated in a battery cell using low-cost general cooling water instead of high-cost special cooling water that has been insulated.

[0016] The present invention aims to provide a battery cell capable of improving corrosion resistance by manufacturing the cell body of the battery cell from a non-polar material.

[0017] The present invention aims to provide a direct water-cooling battery module, a battery cell, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell, wherein, when the cell body of the battery cell is made of a polarized material, the outer surface of the cell body is treated to be non-polarized with a cell sheet having an insulating material to ensure the insulation performance of the battery cell. means of solving the problem

[0018] A battery module for direct water cooling according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises at least one battery cell including a cell body having a built-in electrode and having non-polarity, and a waterproof cover bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body respectively to prevent moisture penetration into the cell body, and a cell frame in which cooling water can flow and the at least one battery cell is spaced apart, wherein the cooling water is a general cooling water that is not insulated.

[0019] A direct water-cooling battery module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises at least one battery cell including a cell body having a built-in electrode and having non-polarity, and a cell sheet heat-pressed to be in close contact with the outer surface of the cell body, and a cell frame in which cooling water is provided to flow and the at least one battery cell is spaced apart, wherein the cooling water is a general cooling water that is not insulated.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cell body is characterized by being made of aluminum.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell may include a waterproof cover that is bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body, respectively, to prevent moisture penetration into the cell body.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof cover may be formed by a waterproof adhesive or a potting resin.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the potting resin is characterized as being one of a silicone-based resin, a urethane-based resin, or an epoxy-based resin.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell is characterized by further including a cell sheet that is heat-pressed onto the outer surface of the cell body.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cell sheet is characterized as being a sheet having insulating and waterproof properties.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cell sheet is characterized as being a heat-shrinkable polymer sheet.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cell sheet may be a sheet made of at least one polymer material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

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[0037] The present invention improves the corrosion resistance of a battery cell without additional insulation treatment of the cell body by manufacturing the cell body of the battery cell from a non-polar material, thereby enabling the production of the battery cell at an ultra-low cost, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the battery module and enhances the market competitiveness of the product.

[0038] In this invention, the outer surface of the battery cell is nonpolar, so that the corrosion resistance and insulation properties of the battery cell are maintained even when immersed in cooling water for a long time, allowing the heat generated in the battery cell to be cooled using ordinary cooling water instead of a special insulated cooling agent.

[0039] Compared to conventional battery modules that use insulated coolant susceptible to fire, the battery module of the present invention is resistant to fire because it can cool the battery cells using ordinary coolant.

[0040] In addition, the present invention can reduce the manufacturing cost of battery modules and enhance the market competitiveness of the product by cooling battery cells using low-cost general vehicle coolant. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0041] Figure 1 schematically illustrates the configuration of a conventional battery module. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery module for direct water cooling according to an example of the present invention. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a battery cell according to an example of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery module for direct water cooling according to another example of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a battery cell according to another example of the present invention. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery cell according to another example of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0042] The present invention is capable of various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated and described in the drawings.

[0043] However, this is not intended to limit the present application to specific embodiments and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present application. In describing the present application, detailed descriptions of related prior art are omitted if it is determined that such detailed descriptions may obscure the essence of the present application.

[0044] Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but components should not be limited by these terms. The terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0045] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0046] In this application, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0047] Therefore, the configurations illustrated in the embodiments described in this specification are merely the most preferred embodiments of this application and do not represent all of the technical ideas of this application; thus, various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0048] In addition, the drawings attached to this application should be understood as being enlarged or reduced for convenience of explanation.

[0050] ● 1st embodiment

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a direct water-cooling battery module (100) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a cell frame (110), at least one battery cell (120), and general cooling water. The cell frame (110) is provided with a structure through which general cooling water can flow.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell (120) includes a cell body (121), an upper cover (125), and a lower cover (126).

[0053] An electrode (not shown) is embedded in the cell body (121). The cell body (121) is intended to protect the electrode. The cell body (121) is made of a non-polar metal material. Aluminum may be used as the non-polar metal material.

[0054] The cell body (121), made of a non-polar material, does not have polarity, so it does not cause a chemical reaction with the cooling water even when impregnated with cooling water and thus does not corrode. Accordingly, the battery cell (120) according to the present embodiment has corrosion resistance and insulation properties without requiring separate insulation treatment.

[0055] The upper cover (125) is a waterproof cover that covers the upper surface of the cell body (121). The lower cover (126) is a waterproof cover that covers the lower surface of the cell body (121). The upper cover (125) and the lower cover (126) can prevent moisture from the cooling water from penetrating into the cell body (121) as the battery cell (120) is immersed in the cooling water for a long time.

[0056] The upper cover (125) and lower cover (126) may be provided by waterproofing the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body (121) with a waterproof adhesive or potting resin. Here, the potting resin is preferably one of a silicone-based resin, a urethane-based resin, or an epoxy-based resin.

[0057] In the present invention, the outer surface of the battery cell (120) is nonpolar, so that the corrosion resistance and insulation properties of the battery cell (120) are maintained even when immersed in cooling water for a long time, and thus the heat generated in the battery cell (120) can be cooled using ordinary cooling water instead of a special cooling agent that has been insulated.

[0058] As explained in the background technology, the low-cost standard automotive coolant costs 50,000 won per 20 liters. In contrast, the high-cost special coolant with insulating properties costs 1,200,000 won per 20 liters.

[0059] The reason for using expensive special coolant in the past is that the special coolant has insulating properties to prevent corrosion of the battery cell (120). Generally, ordinary vehicle coolant is not insulating, so it is not suitable as a material to cool the heat generated during the charging and discharging of the battery cell (120).

[0060] To solve this, the present invention manufactures the cell body (121) of the battery cell (120) from a non-polar material so that even if the battery cell (120) is immersed in cooling water for a long time, it does not conduct electricity with the cooling water and prevents moisture penetration of the cooling water into the battery cell (120).

[0061] That is, the present invention utilizes the material properties of the cell body (121) to provide corrosion resistance to the battery cell (120) without additional insulation treatment of the cell body (121), thereby enabling the production of the battery cell (120) at an ultra-low cost, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the battery module and increases the market competitiveness of the product.

[0062] Compared to conventional battery modules that use insulated cooling water which is susceptible to fire, the battery module of the present invention can cool the battery cell (120) using ordinary cooling water, making it resistant to fire.

[0063] In addition, the present invention can cool the heat generated during the charging and discharging of the battery cell (120) by using low-cost general cooling water instead of the high-cost special cooling water used in the past, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the battery module and improving the market competitiveness of the product.

[0065] ● 2nd Example

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, a direct water-cooling battery module (100A) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a cell frame (110A), at least one battery cell (120A), and general cooling water. The cell frame (110A) is provided with a structure that allows general cooling water to flow.

[0067] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the battery cell (120A) includes a cell body (121A), a cell sheet (122A), an upper cover (125A), and a lower cover (126A).

[0068] Here, the cell body (121A) protects the electrode. The electrode is embedded in the cell body (121A). The cell body (121A) is made of aluminum. At this time, when the aluminum has polarity, the outer surface of the cell body (121A) is treated as non-polar by the cell sheet (122A).

[0069] The cell sheet (122A) is heat-pressed onto the outer surface of the cell body (121A). The cell sheet (122A) is a sheet that has insulating and waterproof properties. As the cell sheet (122A), a heat-shrinkable polymer sheet may be used.

[0070] For example, the cell sheet (122A) is preferably a sheet made of a polymer material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVCA), polypropylene (PPA), or polyethylene terephthalate (PETA).

[0071] The upper cover (125A) is a waterproof cover that covers the upper surface of the cell body (121A). The lower cover (126A) is a waterproof cover that covers the lower surface of the cell body (121A). The upper cover (125A) and the lower cover (126A) can prevent moisture from the cooling water from penetrating into the cell body (121A) as the battery cell (120A) is immersed in the cooling water for a long time.

[0072] The upper cover (125A) and the lower cover (126A) may be provided by waterproofing the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body (121A) with a waterproof adhesive or potting resin (A). Here, the potting resin is preferably one of a silicone-based resin, a urethane-based resin, or an epoxy-based resin.

[0073] In the present invention, the cell body (121A) of the battery cell (120A) is waterproofed and insulated by the cell sheet (122A), the upper cover (125A), and the lower cover (126A), so that the corrosion resistance and insulation of the battery cell (120A) are maintained even when immersed in cooling water for a long time, and thus the heat generated in the battery cell (120A) can be cooled using ordinary cooling water instead of a special insulated cooling agent.

[0074] As explained in the background technology, the low-cost standard automotive coolant costs 50,000 won per 20 liters. In contrast, the high-cost special coolant with insulating properties costs 1,200,000 won per 20 liters.

[0075] The reason for using expensive special coolant in the past is that the special coolant has insulating properties to prevent corrosion of the battery cell (120A). Generally, standard vehicle coolant is not insulating, so it is not suitable as a material to cool the heat generated during the charging and discharging of the battery cell (120A).

[0076] Compared to conventional battery modules that use insulated cooling water which is susceptible to fire, the battery module of the present invention can cool the battery cell (120A) using ordinary cooling water, making it resistant to fire.

[0077] Accordingly, the present invention can cool the heat generated during the charging and discharging of the battery cell (120A) by using low-cost general cooling water instead of the high-cost special cooling water used in the past, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the battery module and improving the market competitiveness of the product.

[0078] The present invention will be specifically described through the following examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the following examples. The preferred embodiments of the present invention described above are disclosed for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art with ordinary knowledge of the present invention will be able to make various modifications, changes, and additions within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such modifications, changes, and additions should be considered to fall within the scope of the following claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0079] 100, 100A: Battery module for direct water cooling 110, 110A: Cell frame 120, 120A: Battery cell 121, 121A: Cell body 122A: Cell sheet 125, 125A: Upper cover 126, 126A: Lower cover

Claims

Claim 1 A direct water-cooling battery module characterized by comprising: at least one battery cell including a cell body having a built-in electrode and having non-polarity, and a waterproof cover bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body respectively to prevent moisture penetration into the cell body; and a cell frame in which cooling water is flowable and the at least one battery cell is spaced apart, wherein the cooling water is a general cooling water that is not insulated. Claim 2 A direct water-cooling battery module characterized by comprising: at least one battery cell including a cell body having a built-in electrode and non-polarity, and a cell sheet heat-pressed to be in close contact with the outer surface of the cell body; and a cell frame in which a cooling water is flowable and the at least one battery cell is spaced apart, wherein the cooling water is a general cooling water that is not insulated. Claim 3 A direct water-cooling battery module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cell body is made of aluminum. Claim 4 A direct water-cooling battery module according to paragraph 2, wherein the battery cell further comprises a waterproof cover bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the cell body, respectively, to prevent moisture penetration into the cell body. Claim 5 A direct water-cooled battery module according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the waterproof cover is formed by a waterproof adhesive or potting resin. Claim 6 A battery module for direct water cooling according to claim 5, characterized in that the potting resin is one of a silicone-based resin, a urethane-based resin, or an epoxy-based resin. Claim 7 A direct water-cooled battery module according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell further comprises a cell sheet heat-pressed to the outer surface of the cell body. Claim 8 A direct water-cooled battery module according to claim 2 or 7, wherein the cell sheet is a sheet having insulating and waterproof properties. Claim 9 A direct water-cooling battery module characterized in that, in claim 8, the cell sheet is a heat-shrinkable polymer sheet. Claim 10 A battery module for direct water cooling according to claim 9, characterized in that the cell sheet is a sheet made of at least one polymer material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Claim 11 delete Claim 12 delete Claim 13 delete Claim 14 delete Claim 15 delete Claim 16 delete Claim 17 delete Claim 18 delete Claim 19 delete Claim 20 delete Claim 21 delete

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