Battery Module having a member capable of blocking heat propagation between battery cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery module having a member capable of blocking heat propagation between battery cells, and more specifically, to a battery module comprising: a plurality of cylindrical battery cells (100); a plurality of heat blocking members (200) which are in the shape of a cylinder and into which each of the cylindrical battery cells is inserted; and a pack case (300) that accommodates the plurality of cylindrical battery cells and the plurality of heat blocking members, wherein the heat blocking members (200) block heat propagation between the cylindrical battery cells.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module capable of blocking heat propagation between battery cells by inserting battery cells into a heat-blocking member made of a material having low thermal conductivity. Background Technology

[0003] With the increasing technological development and demand for mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras, technologies related to rechargeable secondary batteries are becoming more active. Furthermore, secondary batteries are being applied to electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), and energy storage devices (ESS) as alternative energy sources to fossil fuels that cause air pollutants.

[0004] Currently, widely used types of rechargeable batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries.

[0005] The operating voltage of these unit secondary battery cells, that is, unit battery cells, is approximately 2.0V to 5.0V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, multiple battery cells may be connected in series to form a cell module assembly, and cell module assemblies may also be connected in series or parallel according to the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity to form a battery module, and it is common to manufacture a battery pack by adding additional components using at least one of these battery modules.

[0006] When manufacturing such battery packs, it is effective to tightly pack the battery cells within the pack to account for energy density; however, this can lead to problems with heat dissipation from the battery cells, and if thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery cell, heat can propagate to the closely packed cells, potentially causing issues such as a chain reaction of explosions.

[0007] Therefore, to prepare for efficient heat dissipation of battery cells or thermal runaway caused by abnormalities in battery cells, they are stored at a certain distance apart, or various components for heat dissipation are provided between the battery cells.

[0008] In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery module manufactured by surrounding the outer periphery of a battery cell (10) with a fire extinguishing film (30) to respond to fire.

[0009] However, spacing out the battery cells presents a problem in that it results in significant losses in terms of the battery module's energy density.

[0010] In addition, while applying a fire extinguishing film as described in Patent Document 1 may be effective for extinguishing a fire, there is a problem in that it is difficult to block heat propagation between battery cells or prevent thermal runaway phenomena from spreading to surrounding battery cells. Prior art literature

[0012] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 2149439 The problem to be solved

[0013] The present invention aims to provide a battery module equipped with a member capable of blocking heat propagation between battery cells, which can prevent heat generated in a specific battery cell from propagating to nearby battery cells, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0014] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a battery module having a member capable of blocking heat propagation between battery cells capable of increasing energy density. means of solving the problem

[0016] A battery module according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose comprises: a plurality of battery cells (100); a plurality of heat blocking members (200) which are in the form of cylinders and into which each of the battery cells is inserted; and a module case (300) which houses the plurality of battery cells and the plurality of heat blocking members, wherein the heat blocking members (200) block heat propagation between the battery cells (100).

[0017] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the heat blocking member (200) is characterized by being formed of a ceramic material having low thermal conductivity.

[0018] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the ceramic material is characterized by being one or more of alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2), partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ), and silica (SiO2).

[0019] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the heat blocking member (200) is characterized by covering the entire side of the battery cell.

[0020] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the heat blocking member (200) is housed within the module case so as to be in close contact with an adjacent heat blocking member.

[0021] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the module case (300) is characterized by having a plurality of fixing parts (311) formed on the bottom surface (310) on which the battery cell is seated to prevent movement of the battery cell.

[0022] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the fixing part (311) is characterized in that each surface in contact with the heat blocking member (200) is formed in a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the heat blocking member and has a predetermined radius of curvature in the shape of a triangular prism or a square prism.

[0023] In addition, in the battery module according to the present invention, the bottom surface (310) of the module case is characterized as being a heat sink for heat dissipation of the battery cell.

[0024] In addition, the battery module manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells and a heat blocking member into which each of the battery cells is inserted, comprising: a) a step of preparing the heat blocking member; b) a step of applying an adhesive to the inner wall of the heat blocking member; c) a step of inserting the battery cells into the heat blocking member; and d) a step of housing the battery cells inserted into the heat blocking member in a module case.

[0025] In addition, the method for manufacturing a battery module according to the present invention is characterized by including a step of preparing the heat-blocking member of step a) in the form of a hollow cylinder using a ceramic material with low thermal conductivity.

[0026] In addition, in the method for manufacturing a battery module according to the present invention, step d) is characterized in that the heat blocking member is housed so as to be in close contact with an adjacent heat blocking member.

[0027] In addition, the present invention is characterized by providing a battery pack including the aforementioned battery module. Effects of the invention

[0029] According to the battery module of the present invention, a heat blocking member is provided on the outer surface of the battery cell, which has the advantage of being able to block heat propagation between battery cells.

[0030] In addition, according to the battery module of the present invention, battery cells can be stored in close contact due to the heat-blocking member on the outer surface of the battery cells, which has the advantage of contributing to an improvement in energy density. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a battery module equipped with a conventional fire extinguishing film. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery cell including a heat blocking member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of inserting a battery cell into a heat-blocking member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the bottom surface structure of a module case according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0033] In this application, terms such as “comprising,” “having,” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, 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.

[0034] In addition, the same reference numerals are used for parts having similar functions and operations throughout the drawings. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as being connected to another part, this includes not only cases where they are directly connected, but also cases where they are indirectly connected with other elements in between. Furthermore, unless specifically stated otherwise, the inclusion of a certain component does not exclude other components but implies that additional components may be included.

[0036] Hereinafter, a battery module according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a battery cell including a heat blocking member according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the process of inserting a battery cell into a heat blocking member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the battery module (1000) of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells (100), a plurality of heat blocking members (200), and a module case (300).

[0039] First, the battery cell (100) can be broadly divided into a can type in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can and a pouch type in which it is embedded in a pouch made of a laminate sheet structure, depending on the shape of the case.

[0040] Can-type battery cells may include cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries, which are generally classified according to the shape of the metal can.

[0041] A cylindrical battery may include a cylindrical battery can, a jelly-roll type electrode assembly accommodated inside the battery can, and a cap assembly coupled to the top of the battery can. Here, the cylindrical battery can may be formed from a lightweight conductive metal material such as aluminum, stainless steel, or an alloy thereof.

[0042] These can-type batteries can be connected in series and / or parallel depending on the output and capacity required for the battery module or pack. Although not shown for the convenience of the drawing, the can-type batteries can be electrically connected to one another by busbars.

[0043] A cylindrical battery is manufactured by housing a jelly-roll type (wound type) electrode assembly in a cylindrical case, injecting an electrolyte into the cylindrical case, and then attaching a top cap having electrode terminals formed on the open top of the case.

[0044] Although the battery cell (100) of the present invention is depicted as cylindrical in the drawings, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0045] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4, the heat blocking member (200) is provided in a cylinder shape so that a battery cell (100) can be inserted inside, and since one battery cell (100) is inserted into one heat blocking member (200), it is provided in the same number as the number of battery cells (100) stored in the battery module (1000).

[0046] Of course, if the shape of the battery cell (100) is rectangular, it is obvious that it can be configured in a shape corresponding to the shape of the rectangular battery cell.

[0047] In addition, since the heat blocking member (200) is intended to prevent heat propagation between the inserted battery cells (100), it is preferable that it be formed of a ceramic material with low thermal conductivity.

[0048] While various known materials can be applied as such ceramic materials, considering not only thermal conductivity but also mechanical strength above a certain level, ease of manufacturing, and manufacturing cost, it is preferable to use one or more of alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2), partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ), and silica (SiO2).

[0049] It is preferable to manufacture the heat-blocking member (200) made of such a ceramic material in advance to fit the outer diameter of the battery cell (100), and it is preferable to manufacture the height of the heat-blocking member (200) to be equal to or slightly larger than the side height of the battery cell (100) so as to cover the entire side.

[0050] As described above, when the inner diameter of the heat blocking member (200) is manufactured to match the outer diameter of the battery cell (100), the inserted battery cell (100) is stably fixed without being separated during the process of transport, etc.

[0051] Meanwhile, the heat blocking member (200) is formed from a ceramic material, and since the process of forming a structure from a ceramic material typically includes molding and sintering processes, there is a possibility that manufacturing tolerances may occur during this process.

[0052] Therefore, if the heat blocking member (200) is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the battery cell (100) into which it is inserted, it may be necessary to ensure that the heat blocking member (200) and the inserted battery cell (100) are not separated during a process such as transfer.

[0053] In this case, an adhesive can be used to bond the heat blocking member (200) and the battery cell (100), and the adhesive does not necessarily have to be a thermally conductive adhesive, and various known adhesives can be used.

[0054] As described above, the battery module (1000) of the present invention, with the heat blocking member (200) applied, can not only prevent heat from propagating between battery cells (100), but also prevent abnormal phenomena such as thermal runaway from spreading to surrounding battery cells (100) even if such phenomena occur.

[0055] In addition, since the battery module (1000) equipped with the heat blocking member (200) of the present invention can block heat propagation to surrounding battery cells (100), as shown in FIG. 2, etc., the battery cells (100) inserted into the heat blocking member (200) can be stored in close contact within the module case (300).

[0056] That is, more battery cells (100) can be stored in the same volume, which has the effect of increasing the energy density of the battery module (1000).

[0057] The reason why storage is possible in such close contact is that the heat blocking member (200) is formed of a ceramic material and, in addition to serving to block heat propagation, has high mechanical strength so that its external shape does not deform even under surrounding pressure caused by close contact.

[0058] Meanwhile, it is possible to support or fix the battery cell (100) without a separate structure within the module case (300) that houses the battery cell (100) in close contact as described above.

[0059] However, even in this case, since there is a possibility of flow of the battery cell (100), a structure to prevent flow can be added.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the bottom surface structure of a module case according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 5, the structure of the module case bottom surface (310) of the present invention is shown, and the module case bottom surface (310) is provided with a fixing part (311) to prevent movement of battery cells (100) that are seated with a heat blocking member (200) covering them.

[0062] The height of the fixed part (311) can be set in various ways, but it is preferable that it be at least 1 / 5 of the height of the heat blocking member (200) so as to properly prevent movement of the battery cells (100), and it is preferable that it be lower than the height of the heat blocking member (200) when considering interference with the bus bar or various circuits provided on the upper part.

[0063] The number of fixed portions (311) varies depending on the number of battery cells (100) being stored and the shape of storage. For example, when stored in close contact as shown in FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3, the fixed portions (311) are positioned in the shape of a triangular prism in the empty space at the point where three heat-blocking members (200) meet. At this time, it is preferable that the side of the fixed portion (311) in contact with the three heat-blocking members (200) has a shape corresponding to the radius of curvature of the heat-blocking members (200).

[0064] As a result, six heat-blocking members (200) are positioned around one heat-blocking member (200), and accordingly, six fixed members (311) are positioned.

[0065] Of course, it is also possible to house the battery cell (100) differently from what is shown in FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3.

[0066] For example, when storing battery cells (100) so that they are aligned in the horizontal and vertical directions, the shape of the fixing part (311) may be in the shape of a square column.

[0067] In conclusion, the shape of the fixed part (311) is not particularly limited as long as it is of a shape and size that can be located in the space between the heat blocking members (200), but it is preferable that it be the same shape as the empty space in terms of preventing movement of the heat blocking members (200).

[0068] That is, as shown in FIG. 5, it is in the shape of a triangular prism, and it is preferable that each side has a curvature corresponding to the outer diameter of the heat blocking member (200) so as to contact the side of the heat blocking member (200) with the widest possible surface area.

[0069] The fixed part (311) may be formed integrally with the bottom surface (310) of the module case, or it may be formed separately and then attached.

[0070] Meanwhile, the bottom surface of the module case (310) may be formed to function as a heat sink or cooling plate itself, or it may be manufactured by combining a heat sink or cooling plate, etc., on the outside of the bottom surface of the module case (310) for cooling and heat dissipation of the battery module.

[0072] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the battery module (1000) of the present invention described above will be explained.

[0073] The method for manufacturing a battery module (1000) of the present invention includes a) a step of preparing a heat blocking member (200), b) a step of applying an adhesive to the inner wall of the heat blocking member (200), c) a step of inserting a battery cell (100) into the heat blocking member (200), and d) a step of housing the battery cell inserted into the heat blocking member in a module case.

[0074] Here, step a) includes the step of forming a cylindrical heat-blocking member (200) using a ceramic material with low thermal conductivity.

[0075] Additionally, step b) of applying the adhesive may be applied to the inner wall of the heat-blocking member (200), but depending on the case, it may be applied to the outside of the battery cell (100) or to the front surface of the heat-blocking member (200) by methods such as immersion application.

[0076] When applying adhesive to the front surface of the heat blocking member (200), it is preferable to use an adhesive with low thermal conductivity to prevent heat propagation caused by the adhesive.

[0077] Additionally, step d) means housing the heat blocking member (200) so that it is in close contact with the adjacent heat blocking member (200).

[0078] Through this process, the battery cells (100) are stored in a module case (300), the battery cells (100) are electrically connected, and a battery module (1000) is manufactured through various known processes that include providing various circuits.

[0079] The battery module (1000) manufactured in this way can be manufactured into a battery pack, and the manufactured battery pack can be used as a power source for various devices.

[0081] As specific parts of the present invention have been described in detail above, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that such specific descriptions are merely preferred embodiments and do not limit the scope of the invention, and that various changes and modifications are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention, and that such variations and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0083] 1000 : Battery module 100 : Battery cell 200 : Thermal blocking member 300 : Modular case 310 : Module case bottom surface 311 : Fixed part

Claims

Claim 1 A battery module comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a plurality of heat blocking members, each having a cylindrical shape and into which each of the battery cells is inserted; and a module case housing the plurality of battery cells and the plurality of heat blocking members; wherein the heat blocking members are formed of a ceramic material having low thermal conductivity to block heat propagation between the battery cells. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that the ceramic material is one or more of alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2), partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ), and silica (SiO2). Claim 4 A battery module according to claim 1, wherein the heat blocking member covers the entire side of the battery cell. Claim 5 A battery module according to claim 1, wherein the heat blocking member is housed within the module case so as to be in close contact with an adjacent heat blocking member. Claim 6 A battery module according to claim 5, wherein the module case is characterized by having a plurality of fixing parts formed on the bottom surface on which the battery cell is seated to prevent movement of the battery cell. Claim 7 A battery module according to claim 6, wherein the fixed member is in the form of a triangular or square prism having a predetermined radius of curvature, wherein each surface in contact with the heat-blocking member is formed to correspond to the outer surface of the heat-blocking member. Claim 8 A battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that the bottom surface of the module case is a heat sink for heat dissipation of the battery cell. Claim 9 A method for manufacturing a battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells and a heat blocking member into which each of the battery cells is inserted, comprising: a) preparing the heat blocking member; b) applying an adhesive to the inner wall of the heat blocking member; c) inserting the battery cells into the heat blocking member; and d) housing the battery cells inserted into the heat blocking member in a module case; wherein the heat blocking member of step a) is formed of a ceramic material having low thermal conductivity to block heat propagation between the battery cells. Claim 10 A method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 9, characterized in that the heat-blocking member of step a) above is prepared in the form of a hollow cylinder. Claim 11 A method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 9, wherein step d) is characterized in that the heat blocking member is housed so as to be in close contact with an adjacent heat blocking member. Claim 12 A battery pack comprising a battery module according to any one of paragraphs 1, 3 through 8.

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