Battery module including cooling port

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, provided is a battery module comprising: a housing provided with an accommodation space; a cell assembly which is accommodated in the accommodation space and comprises a plurality of battery cells; a first cooling port which is arranged in the housing so that at least part thereof faces one side of the cell assembly, and through which a cooling fluid is supplied into the accommodation space; and a second cooling port which is arranged in the housing so that at least part thereof faces the other side of the cell assembly, and through which the cooling fluid supplied to the accommodation space is discharged to the outside of the housing, wherein the first cooling port and the second cooling port are arranged at different heights from each other.

Description

Battery module including cooling port

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery module including a cooling port.

[0002] Secondary batteries, unlike primary batteries, have the convenience of being rechargeable and dischargeable, and are attracting a lot of attention as a power source for various mobile devices and electric vehicles.

[0003] These secondary batteries may include battery cells in which an electrode assembly is formed by stacking a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator or by rolling them into a roll shape and is accommodated inside a case. A plurality of battery cells may be stacked in a predetermined direction and accommodated in a battery module or battery pack.

[0004] Meanwhile, battery cells can generate heat due to electrochemical reactions during charging and discharging. If this heat is not dissipated, it will continue to accumulate within the internal space of the battery module or battery pack, potentially degrading performance or even causing a fire.

[0005] Accordingly, research is needed on a structure that can cool battery cells more effectively.

[0006] A battery module including a cooling port of the present disclosure can cool battery cells more effectively.

[0007] A battery module including a cooling port of the present disclosure is capable of uniformly cooling a plurality of battery cells by being equipped with a method of changing the flow direction of a cooling fluid flowing therein.

[0008] A battery module including a cooling port of the present disclosure can cool a plurality of battery cells more effectively through a plurality of flow paths through which a cooling fluid flows.

[0009] The battery module including the cooling port of the present disclosure can be widely applied in green technology fields such as electric vehicles, battery charging stations, and other battery-powered solar and wind power generation. Furthermore, the battery module including the cooling port of the present disclosure can be used in eco-friendly electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and other vehicles that aim to prevent climate change by suppressing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module comprises: a housing having a receiving space; a cell assembly received in the receiving space and including a plurality of battery cells; a first cooling port disposed in the housing such that at least a portion thereof faces one side of the cell assembly and supplies a cooling fluid to the receiving space; and a second cooling port disposed in the housing such that at least a portion thereof faces the other side of the cell assembly and discharges the cooling fluid supplied to the receiving space to the outside of the housing, wherein the first cooling port and the second cooling port may be disposed to have different heights in the housing.

[0011] In one embodiment, the second cooling port may be positioned above the first cooling port.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the first cooling port includes a discharge end through which cooling fluid is discharged, the second cooling port includes a discharge end through which cooling fluid of the receiving space is introduced, and the discharge end may be positioned above the discharge end.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the plurality of battery cells may be stacked in a first direction in the receiving space, and the first cooling port and the second cooling port may be arranged to face each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the first cooling port and the second cooling port are each provided in a plurality, and each of the plurality of first cooling ports and the plurality of second cooling ports may be provided in a plurality of pairs facing each other along the second direction.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the housing may further include a guide unit that guides the cooling fluid supplied from the first cooling port in the second direction.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the guide member may be positioned lower than the first cooling port, and at least a portion of the guide member may be positioned to face the first cooling port.

[0017] According to one embodiment, in the first claim, the receiving space may further include a first busbar assembly and a second busbar assembly, each of which is disposed on one side and the other side of the cell assembly and each of which includes a plurality of pass holes through which a cooling fluid passes, wherein the receiving space may include a first space between the housing and the first busbar assembly; a second space in which the cell stack is disposed, between the first busbar assembly and the second busbar assembly; and a third space between the second busbar assembly and the housing.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the housing includes a first cover disposed above the cell assembly and a second cover disposed below the cell assembly and facing the first cover with the cell assembly therebetween; and the second space may include a first flow path formed as a space between the cell assembly and the first cover and a second flow path formed as a space between the cell assembly and the second cover.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the cell assembly includes a plurality of cooling fins disposed between the plurality of battery cells, and the plurality of cooling fins may include: a body portion facing the plurality of battery cells; a first extension portion extending from the body portion to one side and disposed in the first flow path; and a second extension portion extending from the body portion to the other side and disposed in the second flow path.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the cell assembly includes a plurality of cooling fins disposed between the plurality of battery cells, the plurality of cooling fins extending to contact at least one of the first cover or the second cover to separate at least one of the first flow path or the second flow path into a plurality of flow paths.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the first busbar assembly and the second busbar assembly each include a plurality of busbars electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, and the plurality of pass holes can be arranged between the plurality of busbars along the first direction.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the first busbar assembly may include a fluid guide for guiding the flow of cooling fluid supplied from the first cooling port, the fluid guide including a guide body in which one or more guide holes communicating with the plurality of pass holes are formed; and an extension portion extending from the guide body along the first direction.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the first busbar assembly further includes a plurality of pass hole guides disposed between the plurality of pass holes and protruding in a direction toward the first cooling port, and the plurality of pass hole guides may be provided in a shape in which the spacing between adjacent plurality of pass holes gradually narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side based on the flow direction of the cooling fluid.

[0024] According to one embodiment, a fluid distribution unit for distributing the flow of a flowing cooling fluid is arranged between the plurality of pass holes and the cell assembly, and the fluid distribution unit may be provided in a shape in which a width facing the cooling fluid increases from the upstream side to the downstream side based on the flow direction of the cooling fluid in the receiving space.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the first cooling port includes a first hose portion, at least a portion of which is disposed in the receiving space, through which a fluid supplied to the receiving space flows, and the second cooling port includes a second hose portion, at least a portion of which is disposed in the receiving space, through which a cooling fluid discharged to the outside of the housing flows, and at least one of the first hose portion or the second hose portion may be provided to be bendable in the receiving space.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the first hose portion is provided with a discharge end through which cooling fluid is discharged at an end disposed in the receiving space, the second hose portion is provided with a discharge end through which cooling fluid of the receiving space is introduced at an end disposed in the receiving space, and at least one of the first hose portion or the second hose portion can be bent in a predetermined direction so that the direction in which the discharge end or the discharge end is directed is changed.

[0027] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a housing having a receiving space; a cell assembly disposed in the receiving space and including a plurality of battery cells; a first cooling port disposed in the housing for supplying a cooling fluid to the receiving space; and a second cooling port disposed in the housing for discharging a cooling fluid in the receiving space to the outside of the housing; wherein the housing includes a first port mounting portion and a second port mounting portion on which the first cooling port and the second cooling port are respectively mounted, and the first port mounting portion and the second port mounting portion may be disposed at different heights.

[0028] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a housing having a receiving space in which the cell assembly is placed, the housing including a first cover and a second cover that are coupled to face each other with the cell assembly therebetween; and an inlet port having a discharge end for discharging a cooling fluid disposed in the receiving space and discharging the cooling fluid into the receiving space; wherein the receiving space includes a first flow path and a second flow path through which the cooling fluid flows between the cell assembly and the first cover, and the inlet port can change the direction of the discharge end so that the flow rate of the cooling fluid flowing through the first flow path and the second flow path is changed.

[0029] In one embodiment, the discharge end can have its orientation changed to point toward at least one of the first flow path, the second flow path, or the cell assembly.

[0030] Above, the solution according to the present disclosure has been described, but this is exemplary, and it should be understood that other configurations not mentioned are included in the present disclosure even if they are added.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module including a cooling port capable of more effectively cooling a battery cell can be provided.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module including a cooling port capable of uniformly cooling a plurality of battery cells by being provided with a means for changing the flow direction of a cooling fluid flowing therein can be provided.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module can be provided that includes a cooling port capable of more effectively cooling a plurality of battery cells through a plurality of channels through which a cooling fluid flows.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of a cross-section taken along line I-I' of Figure 1.

[0037] Figure 4 is a drawing schematically illustrating the flow direction of the cooling fluid in Figure 3.

[0038] Fig. 5 is a drawing showing a part of a cross-section taken along II-II' of Fig. 1.

[0039] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of A in Figure 5, and Figure 7 is an enlarged view of B in Figure 5.

[0040] Fig. 8a is an enlarged drawing of the inlet port portion of Fig. 1, and Fig. 8b is an enlarged drawing of the outlet port portion of Fig. 1.

[0041] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of C in Figure 2.

[0042] FIG. 10a is a perspective view of a cooling port according to one embodiment, and FIG. 10b is a cross-sectional view of the cooling port.

[0043] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a first busbar assembly positioned close to an inlet port according to one embodiment.

[0044] FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a second busbar assembly positioned close to an outlet port according to one embodiment.

[0045] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 14 is a drawing schematically illustrating the flow direction of the cooling fluid in Figure 13.

[0047] FIG. 15a is a drawing schematically illustrating the flow direction of the cooling fluid when the inlet port faces upward in FIG. 13, and FIG. 15b is a drawing schematically illustrating the flow direction of the cooling fluid when the inlet port faces downward in FIG. 13.

[0048] Fig. 16 is a drawing showing an example in which an inlet port is guided by a guide.

[0049] Fig. 17a is a perspective view of a cooling port according to another embodiment, and Fig. 17b is a cross-sectional view of the cooling port.

[0050] Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a hose portion of a cooling port according to another embodiment.

[0051] Figures 19a and 19b are exemplary drawings showing that the angle of the hose is changed according to another embodiment.

[0052] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module equipped with a fluid distribution unit according to another embodiment.

[0053] Figure 21 is a partially enlarged view of the fluid distribution section of Figure 20.

[0054] Before going into a detailed description of the embodiments, it should be noted that the terms and words used in the following description and claims should not be construed as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meanings and concepts that conform to the technical spirit of the present disclosure, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to best describe his or her invention.

[0055] The same reference numbers or symbols used in each drawing represent parts or components that perform substantially the same functions. For convenience of description and understanding, the same reference numbers or symbols may be used in different embodiments.

[0056] In the following description, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms such as "comprises" or "comprises" should be understood to indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0057] In addition, in the description below, expressions such as top, upper, lower, lower, side, front, and rear are expressed based on the direction shown in the drawing, and it is noted in advance that they may be expressed differently if the direction of the object in question changes.

[0058] Additionally, terms containing ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to distinguish between components in the following description and claims. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish identical or similar components from each other, and the use of these ordinal numbers should not be interpreted in a limited manner. For example, components associated with these ordinals should not be interpreted in a restricted manner, such as in the order of use or arrangement, based on their numbers. If necessary, each ordinal number may be used interchangeably.

[0059] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, these are merely exemplary and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described as examples.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing one side and the other side taken along line I-I' of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing the flow direction of a cooling fluid in FIG. 3.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 together, a battery module (10) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a housing (20) forming a receiving space (S), a cell assembly (100) received in the receiving space (S) and including a plurality of battery cells (110), and a cooling port (50) mounted on the housing (20) to supply cooling fluid to the receiving space (S) or discharge the supplied cooling fluid to the outside of the housing (20). In addition, the cooling port (50) may include an inlet port (50a, "first cooling port") that supplies cooling fluid to the receiving space (S) and an outlet port (50b, "second cooling port") that discharges cooling fluid supplied to the receiving space (S) to the outside of the housing (20). Here, the inlet port (50a) and the outlet port (50b) may be arranged at different heights.

[0062] Specifically, the outlet port (50b) may be positioned higher than the inlet port (50a) along the direction in which the cooling fluid rises from the receiving space (S) (height direction, or +Z-axis direction). Through this, the cooling fluid can be received as much as possible in the receiving space (S).

[0063] Meanwhile, the expression "the outlet port (50b) is arranged above the inlet port (50a)" here is expressed from the perspective of the flow of the cooling fluid. It may mean that the part (511;b discharge end) into which the cooling fluid flows into the outlet port (50b) is arranged above the part (511a; discharge end) from which the cooling fluid is discharged from the inlet port (50a). Here, "upper" may mean the +Z-axis direction in the drawing or the direction in which the cooling fluid rises from the receiving space (S).

[0064] Meanwhile, the cooling port (50) may be differently referred to as an inlet port (50a; first port) located on the upstream side where the fluid flows based on the flow of the cooling fluid, and an outlet port (50b; second port) located on the downstream side. The inlet port (50a) and the outlet port (50b) are for convenience in distinguishing the placement positions, and their specific configurations may be identical.

[0065] Meanwhile, the cooling fluid in the present disclosure refers to a fluid that acts as an electrical insulator, such as an insulating oil whose main component is non-conductive oil. However, the cooling fluid in the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any fluid that has the property of cooling a battery cell (110) through heat exchange with the battery cell (110) may be included.

[0066] The housing (20) may include a first cover (21) positioned above the cell assembly (100) and a second cover (22) supporting the lower portion of the cell assembly (100). The first cover (21) and the second cover (22) may be coupled to face each other in the height direction (Z-axis direction) with the cell assembly (100) interposed therebetween. The first cover (21) and the second cover (22) may be coupled to form an accommodation space (S) therein.

[0067] In addition, according to one embodiment, the side plate (27) and the side cover (28) may be arranged along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell assembly (100) (X-axis direction in the drawing). The side plate (27) and the side cover (28) may include an electrically insulating material and may protect the cell assembly (100) from external impact, etc.

[0068] In addition, the battery module (10) of the present disclosure may include a busbar assembly (30) that is arranged to face at least one side of the cell assembly (100) and electrically connects a plurality of battery cells (110) to each other, and a circuit unit (60) that is connected to the plurality of battery cells (110) and can receive temperature or current values. The circuit unit (60) may be connected to a BMS (Battery Management System).

[0069] A cell assembly (100) may include a plurality of battery cells (110) stacked in a predetermined direction (e.g., the X-axis direction of the drawing), a plurality of cell pads (120) arranged between the plurality of battery cells (110), and a cooling fin (130) arranged between the plurality of battery cells (110) and the plurality of cell pads (120) to cool them (see FIG. 5).

[0070] Each of the plurality of battery cells (110) may include a case (111) that accommodates an electrode assembly (not shown) formed by stacking positive and negative plates, and a lead tab (112) that is electrically connected to the electrode assembly and protrudes from at least one side of the case (111).

[0071] The electrode assembly may be configured in a stacked configuration in which positive and negative electrode plates face each other with their wide surfaces facing each other, with a separator interposed between them. The separator may be configured to prevent electrical short-circuiting between the positive and negative electrode plates and to allow ion flow. For example, the separator may include a porous polymer film or a porous non-woven fabric.

[0072] In addition, the electrode assembly can be accommodated in a case in various ways, such as a stacking type, a zigzag folding type, a stack-folding type, and a jelly roll type formed by winding in a predetermined direction.

[0073] The plurality of battery cells (110) may be pouch-type, prismatic-type, or cylindrical-type secondary batteries depending on the structure of the case (111). In the drawing, the battery cells (110) are illustrated as pouch cells in which the case (111) is formed in a pouch shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0074] A busbar assembly (30) may include a plurality of busbars (31) that electrically connect a plurality of battery cells (110) to each other and a support plate (33) on which the plurality of busbars (31) are mounted.

[0075] In the present disclosure, the lead tabs (112) of the battery cells (110) protrude to both sides along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction in the drawing), and accordingly, the busbar assemblies (30) may also be arranged on both sides of the cell assembly (100). In this case, the structures of the first busbar assembly (30a) arranged on one side of the cell assembly (100) and the second busbar assembly (30b) arranged on the other side may be identical in configuration with only the positions being different.

[0076] Meanwhile, the present disclosure is not limited to the busbar assembly (30) being arranged on both sides, and it can be considered that all busbar assemblies (30) are included in the present disclosure as long as they are arranged on at least one side.

[0077] The cell pad (120) is arranged between a plurality of battery cells (110) to bond the adjacent battery cells (110) or absorb vibrations or shocks. For example, the cell pad (120) may include a material with low thermal conductivity to prevent heat transmission between adjacent battery cells (110). Through this, when an abnormal event occurs in one battery cell (110), heat can be prevented from being transmitted to the adjacent battery cell (110). However, this is only an example, and the cell pad (120) may be formed of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0078] The cooling fin (130) may be provided with a material having high thermal conductivity. The cooling fin (130) may be arranged between a plurality of battery cells (110) to exchange heat with the adjacent plurality of battery cells (110) that are in contact with each other. The body portion (133) of the cooling fin (130) may contact the case of the battery cell (110) to exchange heat, and may exchange heat with a cooling fluid through the bent portions (131, 132) provided at both ends of the body portion (133) (see FIG. 5).

[0079] The bus bar (31) may be provided with two or more slits (32) into which the lead tabs (112) of the plurality of battery cells (110) are each inserted. The bus bar (31) may electrically connect the lead tabs (112) to an electrode terminal (36) that is electrically connected to an external power source.

[0080] The support plate (33) supports a plurality of bus bars (31), and a plurality of pass holes (35) through which a cooling fluid flows can be formed. A plurality of pass holes (35) can be provided in the vertical direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction in the drawing) between the plurality of bus bars (31).

[0081] The cooling fluid introduced through the cooling port (50) can pass through the pass hole (35) and come into contact with the cell assembly (100).

[0082] An insulating panel (38) including an electrically insulating material may be placed between the busbar assembly (30) and the cell assembly (100). The insulating panel (38) may be provided with a first hole (not shown) that communicates with a slit (32) of the busbar (31) so that the lead tab (112) may pass through the insulating panel (38) and be inserted into the slit (32). In addition, the insulating panel (38) may be provided with a second hole (not shown) that communicates with a pass hole (35) of the support plate (33) so that a cooling fluid may pass through the busbar assembly (30).

[0083] Meanwhile, as described above, the busbar assembly (30) of the present disclosure may be arranged on both sides of the cell assembly (100). In this case, it may include a first busbar assembly (30a) provided on one side of the cell assembly (100) and arranged close to the inlet port (50a), and a second busbar assembly (30b) provided on the other side of the cell assembly (100) and arranged close to the outlet port (50b).

[0084] Here, the first and second busbar assemblies (30a, 30b) are referred to for convenience based on their positions relative to the cell assembly (100), and their detailed configurations may be the same.

[0085] Meanwhile, when the first and second busbar assemblies (30a, 30b) are provided in this manner, the busbar assembly (30) can divide the receiving space (S) into a plurality of spaces.

[0086] For example, the busbar assembly (30) can be divided into a first space (S1; inlet space) which is a space between the housing (20) and the first busbar assembly (30a), a second space (S2; loading space) where the cell assembly (100) is placed which is a space between the first busbar assembly (30a) and the second busbar assembly (30b), and a third space (S3; discharge space) which is a space between the second busbar assembly (30b) and the housing (20).

[0087] Here, ‘dividing the receiving space (S) into multiple spaces’ does not mean physically separating one space from another space so that fluid does not pass through, but rather can mean dividing the space based on a space where a difference in the flow of fluid occurs between one space and another space.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 3, the first space (S1) may be a space into which cooling fluid is introduced through an inlet port (50a; first cooling port). The second space (S2) may be a space into which cooling fluid is introduced through at least one of a pass hole (35) of the first busbar assembly (30a) or a space between the first busbar assembly (30a) and the module housing (20) and heat exchange occurs by contacting the cell assembly (100). The third space (S3) may be a space into which cooling fluid is introduced through at least one of a pass hole (35) of the second busbar assembly (30b) or a space between the second busbar assembly (30b) and the module housing (20) and discharged to the outside of the module housing (20) through an outlet port (50b; second cooling port).

[0089] Additionally, based on the flow of the cooling fluid, the first space (S1) may be arranged on the upstream side and the third space (S3) may be arranged on the downstream side.

[0090] Since the cooling fluid mainly flows through the pass hole (35) between the first space (S1) and the second space (S2) and between the second space (S2) and the third space (S3), the physical properties of the fluid, such as the flow velocity, may change rapidly.

[0091] Meanwhile, the second space (S2) may be a space in which a plurality of battery cells (110) are arranged, and may be a space in which heat exchange occurs between a cooling fluid and the plurality of battery cells (110). The cooling fluid introduced into the second space (S2) may flow downstream toward the third space (S3) through the first flow path (P1), which is a space between the cell assembly (100) and the first cover (21), and the second flow path (P2), which is a space between the cell assembly (100) and the second cover (22). Details of the first and second flow paths (P2) will be described later with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0092] Meanwhile, referring back to FIG. 3, the housing (20) may be provided with a port mounting portion (25) on which a cooling port (50) is mounted. The port mounting portion (25) may be provided on at least one of the first cover (21) or the second cover (22). The drawing illustrates that the port mounting portion (25) is formed on the first cover (21).

[0093] The port mounting portion (25) may include a first port mounting portion (251) in which an inlet port (50a) is mounted or arranged, and a second port mounting portion (252) in which an outlet port (50b) is mounted or arranged. Each of the first port mounting portion (251) and the second port mounting portion (252) may include a first port hole (2511) and a second port hole (2521). Cooling fluid may be allowed to flow through each of the port mounting portions (251, 252). In another embodiment described below, the first port hole (2511) and the second port hole (2521) may be provided as holes through which a hose portion (51) is inserted into the interior of the housing (20) (see FIG. 13).

[0094] For example, the first and second port holes (2511, 2521) may be provided in a shape that allows the first cover (21) to penetrate, and the penetration angle may be different depending on the shape of the mounting portion (25). Referring to the drawing, the first port mounting portion (251) is arranged to face each other in the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction), and the second port mounting portion (252) may be arranged at an angle. In this way, by slanting the second port mounting portion (252) on which the outlet port (50b) is mounted, the cooling fluid can be effectively discharged from the receiving space (S). However, the arrangement angle of the port mounting portion (25) is not limited to the configuration of the drawing.

[0095] In addition, as described above, the second port mounting portion (252) may be positioned higher than the first port mounting portion (251). Since the cooling fluid rises from the bottom to the top of the receiving space (S), if the second port mounting portion (252) positioned on the downstream side is positioned higher, the flow distance of the cooling fluid can be further increased, thereby increasing the opportunity for it to come into contact with the cell assembly (100). That is, the second port hole (2522) may be positioned higher than the first port hole (2511).

[0096] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one of the first port mounting portion (251) or the second port mounting portion (252) may be provided with a guide portion (255). The guide portion (255) may be formed as a groove in the housing (20) to form a guide space (255a). The guide portion (255) may be provided to guide at least one of the cooling fluid or the hose portion (51).

[0097] Referring to FIG. 3, the guide member (255) can be arranged to face the first port mounting member (251) or the inlet port (50a). Through this arrangement structure, referring to FIG. 4, the cooling fluid supplied from the discharge end (511a) of the inlet port (50a) can be guided to flow toward the cell assembly (100).

[0098] Meanwhile, the end plate (40) may include a first end plate (40a) facing the first busbar assembly (30a) and a second end plate (40b) facing the second busbar assembly (30b). The first and second end plates (40a, 40b) may have the same main configuration, except for a difference in the arrangement position. A plate hole (45) through which a cooling fluid can effectively flow may be formed in each of the first end plate (40a) and the second end plate (40b) (see FIGS. 11 and 12).

[0099] Referring again to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the cooling fluid introduced through the discharge end (511a) of the inlet port (50a) may pass through the plate hole (45) of the first end plate (40a) and the pass hole (35) of the first busbar assembly (30a) to enter the second space (S2) and exchange heat with the cell assembly (100). In addition, the cooling fluid may pass through the pass hole (35) of the second busbar assembly (30b) and the plate hole (45) of the second end plate (40b) to be discharged to the outside of the receiving space (S) through the outlet port (50b).

[0100] Meanwhile, although both the first end plate (40a) and the second end plate (40b) are described as being arranged in FIGS. 3 and 4, both may fall within the scope of the present disclosure even if only one is arranged or the end plate (40) is not necessarily arranged. Even if the end plate (40) does not exist, the approximate flow direction (Y-axis direction) of the cooling fluid flowing in the first to third (S1 to S3) may not differ significantly.

[0101] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a part of a cross-section taken along line II-II' of FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of A of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of B of FIG. 6.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 5, a first flow path (P1), which is a space between the cell assembly (100) and the first cover (1), and a second flow path (P2), which is a space between the cell assembly (100) and the second cover (22), can be formed. As described above, the cooling fluid can flow through at least one of the first flow path (P1) and the second flow path (P2).

[0103] In addition, the cooling fin (130) can be in contact with the first cover (21) and the second cover (22) on both sides in the upper and lower directions, respectively. In this case, the first flow path (P1) and the second flow path (P2) can be separated into a plurality of parts by the cooling fin (130). The cooling fin (130) can include a first end portion (131) and a second end portion (132) that are in contact with the first cover (21) and the second cover (22), respectively.

[0104] Meanwhile, the above-described structure is an example, and the first end portion (131) and the second end portion (132) do not necessarily have to be in contact with the housing (20). For example, the first end portion (131) and the second end portion (132) may be spaced apart from the housing (20) or may be indirectly in contact with the housing (20) through a separate adhesive, etc.

[0105] Referring to Fig. 6, the first end portion (131) can be in contact with the first cover (21) to divide the first flow path (P1) into a plurality of spaces. In addition, the first end portion (131) can be bent to increase the contact area between the cooling fluid and the first cover (21). Referring to Fig. 7, the second end portion (132) can be in contact with the second cover (22) to divide the second flow path (P2) into a plurality of spaces. In addition, the second end portion (132) can be bent to increase the contact area between the cooling fluid and the second cover (22).

[0106] In this way, by dividing each of the first flow path (P1) and the second flow path (P2) into multiple pieces, the contact area between the cooling fin (130) and the cooling fluid can be increased, thereby increasing the cooling efficiency.

[0107] Fig. 8a is an enlarged drawing of the inlet port portion of Fig. 1, and Fig. 8b is an enlarged drawing of the outlet port portion of Fig. 1.

[0108] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B together, the inlet ports (50a) and outlet ports (50b) of the cooling port (50) according to one embodiment may be provided as a pair facing each other. In the drawing, a plurality of first inlet ports (50a) and a plurality of second outlet ports (50) are illustrated as being provided as a plurality of pairs. Here, "provided as a pair" may mean that they are arranged to face each other so that the flow of the fluid flows approximately in the second direction.

[0109] It can be seen from the drawing that the first inlet port (50a-1) and the first outlet port (50b-1), the second inlet port (50a-2) and the second outlet port (50b-2), the third inlet port (50a-3) and the third outlet port (50a-3), and the fourth inlet port (50a-4) and the outlet port (50b-4) are provided as corresponding pairs. The first ports (50a-1, 50b-1) to the fourth ports (50a-4, 50b-4) can be arranged at a predetermined interval in the first direction (X-axis direction).

[0110] Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of C of Fig. 2, Fig. 10a is a perspective view of a cooling port according to one embodiment, and Fig. 10b is a cross-sectional view of the cooling port. The specific configuration of the cooling port (50) will be described with reference to Figs. 9, 10a, and 10b together.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 9, the guide portion (255) may be provided in a shape in which the inner wall of the housing (20) is sunken. Referring also to FIG. 3, the guide portion (255) faces the discharge end (511a) of the inlet port (50a) and can guide the cooling fluid discharged from the discharge end (511a) toward the battery cell (110). That is, the cooling fluid discharged from the discharge end (511a) can flow toward the battery cell (110) along the guide space (255a).

[0112] The inlet port (50a) and the outlet port (50b) may be provided with the same configuration except for the difference in the position relative to the flow direction of the cooling fluid, and thus will be described together. In addition, the end (511) of the inlet port (50a) may be referred to as the discharge end (511a), and the end (511) of the outlet port (50b) may be referred to as the discharge end (511b), respectively, based on the flow direction of the fluid, and other than that, the respective configurations may be the same.

[0113] The cooling port (50) may include a hose portion (51) through which cooling fluid flows, a connector (55) that is connected to and supports the hose portion (51), and a nipple (57) that is mounted on the port mounting portion (25) and connected to the connector (55).

[0114] The connector (55) is provided with a hook portion (551) protruding toward the nipple (57) so that it can be detachably connected to the nipple (57). The nipple (57) is provided in the port mounting portion (25) so that the connector (55) can be supported at a predetermined position in the housing (20).

[0115] The hose portion (51) can be coupled with the connector (55) while being inserted into the connector (55). When the connector (55) and the nipple (57) are coupled, the end (511) of the hose portion (51) can be connected to the receiving space (S).

[0116] Meanwhile, as described above, although the outer hose portion (512) in the drawing is depicted as having a disconnected end facing outward, the outer hose portion (512) may be connected to a fluid circulation portion (not shown) that circulates the cooling fluid. For example, the end of the outer hose portion (512) of the inlet port (50a) and the end of the outer hose portion (512) of the outlet port (50b) may be connected to the fluid circulation portion, respectively, so that the cooling fluid may circulate with each other. That is, through the fluid circulation portion, the cooling fluid may be discharged into the receiving space (S) by the end (511) of the hose portion (51) of the inlet port (50a), i.e., the discharge end (511a).

[0117] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a first busbar assembly (30a) positioned close to an inlet port (50a) according to one embodiment, and FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a second busbar assembly (30b) positioned close to an outlet port (50b) according to one embodiment.

[0118] Referring to Fig. 11, as described above, a pass hole (35) may be provided between a plurality of bus bars (31) of the first bus bar assembly (30a). The pass hole (35) may be formed by penetrating the support plate (33) along the second direction (Y-axis direction or flow direction of the cooling fluid).

[0119] Additionally, the first busbar assembly (30a) and the first end plate (40a) may be arranged to face each other in the second direction. As described above, cooling fluid may flow through the plate hole (45).

[0120] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment to be described later (see FIG. 13), a hose portion (51) may be inserted into a plate hole (45). In another embodiment, the plate hole (45) may be arranged at a position facing the inlet port (50a) in the second direction (Y-axis direction) so that the hose portion (51) may be inserted directly into the plate hole (45) without being bent. Through this, the end plate (40) may support the hose portion (51). In this case, the end (511) of the hose portion (51) may be arranged between the end plate (40) and the busbar assembly (30) to supply or discharge cooling fluid.

[0121] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, a fluid guide (37) may be placed in the bus bar assembly (30a) at a position facing the plate hole (45) of the first end plate (40a) in the second direction (Y-axis direction). The fluid guide (37) may be placed at a position facing the plate hole (45).

[0122] Since the cooling fluid is introduced through the plate hole (45) of the first end plate (40a), the flow velocity of the pass hole (35) facing the plate hole (45) among the plurality of pass holes (35) can increase more rapidly than other parts. Accordingly, the present disclosure can appropriately control the flow of the cooling fluid through the fluid guide (37).

[0123] If there is no fluid guide (37), the cooling fluid flowing into the first space (S1) may be concentrated and introduced through the pass hole (35) at a position corresponding to the first hose section (51a). The fluid guide (37) of the present disclosure can appropriately control this so that the cooling fluid is evenly introduced into the second space (S2) through a plurality of pass holes (35).

[0124] The fluid guide (37) may include a guide body (371) in which one or more guide holes (375) communicating with the pass hole (35) are formed, and an extension portion (373) extending from the guide body (371) toward an adjacent pass hole (35).

[0125] The guide hole (375) is provided with a diameter smaller than that of the pass hole (35), so that the flow rate of the cooling fluid can be appropriately reduced. The guide body (371) can be provided with a concave shape so that the cooling fluid can flow into the guide hole (375). The extension portion (373) can extend along the first direction to guide the cooling fluid toward another adjacent pass hole (35).

[0126] Referring to Fig. 12, similarly to the first busbar assembly (30a), a pass hole (35) may be provided between a plurality of busbars (31) of the second busbar assembly (30b). The pass hole (35) may be formed by penetrating the support plate (33) in the second direction (Y-axis direction).

[0127] Additionally, the second busbar assembly (30b) and the second end plate (40b) may be arranged to face each other in the second direction.

[0128] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment (see FIG. 13), the hose portion (51) of the outlet port (50b) may be inserted into the plate hole (45). In this other embodiment, the plate hole (45) is formed in the second end plate (40b) so as to correspond to a position facing the second port mounting portion (252) in the second direction (Y-axis direction), so that the hose portion (521) of the outlet port (50b) can be inserted without being bent and support the hose portion (51).

[0129] The shape and size of the pass hole (35) of the first bus bar assembly (30a) and the pass hole (35) of the second bus bar assembly (30b) may be the same.

[0130] Hereinafter, a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 19.

[0131] Other embodiments are described mainly with respect to the changed parts from the above-described embodiments, and other overlapping content is omitted.

[0132] According to another embodiment, at least one hose portion (51) of the inlet port (50a) and the outlet port (50b) is provided to be bendable, so as to change the flow direction of the cooling fluid.

[0133] That is, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the direction of flow of the cooling fluid flowing in the receiving space (S) can be changed by changing the orientation angle of at least one end (511) of the inlet port (50a) or the outlet port (50b).

[0134]

[0135] Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 19. However, for convenience of understanding, other embodiments are described with a focus on parts where the configuration has been changed, excluding descriptions of overlapping scopes from one embodiment.

[0136] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to another embodiment, FIG. 14 is a view schematically illustrating the direction of flow of cooling fluid in FIG. 33, FIG. 15a is a view schematically illustrating the direction of flow of cooling fluid when the inlet port faces upward in FIG. 13, FIG. 15b is a view schematically illustrating the direction of flow of cooling fluid when the inlet port faces downward in FIG. 3, and FIG. 16 is a view exemplarily illustrating that the inlet port is guided by a guide in another embodiment.

[0137] Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15 together, according to another embodiment, at least one of the hose portion (51a) of the inlet port (50a) or the hose portion (51b) of the outlet port (50b) may extend inside the housing (20) so that the end (511) is disposed in the receiving space (S). That is, at least a portion of the cooling port (50) may be disposed in the receiving space (S). Meanwhile, FIGS. 13 to 15 illustrate a state in which the second end plate (40b) is removed, but it is to be understood that the second end plate (40b) may be disposed as in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0138] Here, at least one of the first hose section (51a) and the second hose section (51b) is provided so that the angle toward the cell assembly (100) in the receiving space (S) is changed (see FIGS. 15a and 15b), thereby changing the flow direction of the cooling fluid.

[0139] According to the other embodiment, the first port hole (2511) of the first port mounting portion (251) may be provided so that the first hose portion (51a) may be inserted, and the second port hole (2521) of the second port mounting portion (252) may be provided so that the second hose portion (51b) may be inserted.

[0140] Also, referring to FIGS. 13 and 16 together, in another embodiment, the guide portion (255) may perform a function of bending the entry angle of the hose portion (51) so that the end (511) of the hose portion (51) is directed toward the cell assembly (100).

[0141] For example, the guide portion (255) may be formed as a groove in a portion facing the first mounting portion (251) to form a guide space (255a). Through this, the hose portion (51) can have its end (511)'s orientation angle roughly changed by the guide portion (255).

[0142] For example, in the drawing, the guide part (255) can guide the first hose part (51) so that the discharge end (511a) of the first hose part (51) faces the cell assembly (100).

[0143] That is, the hose portion (51) of the first port (50) is inserted into the receiving space (S) through the first port hole (2511), and can be bent so that the end (511) is directed toward the cell assembly (100) by the guide space (255a) formed by the guide portion (255). In this way, the guide portion (255) can support the hose portion (51) so that the cooling fluid can be introduced in an appropriate direction.

[0144] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 16, the hose portion (51) of the cooling port (50) may include an external hose portion (512) disposed outside the housing (20) and an internal hose portion (513) disposed inside the housing and placed in the receiving space (S). The internal hose portion (513) may pass through the plate hole (45) of the end plate (40).

[0145] In addition, according to the other embodiment, a hose portion (51) may be provided to be inserted into at least one of the plate hole (45) of the first end plate (40a) and the plate hole (45) of the second end plate (40b). Since this has been described above, it is omitted. Hereinafter, the change in the flow direction of the cooling fluid will be described with reference to FIGS. 14, 15a, and 15b.

[0146] Fig. 14 illustrates that the first hose portion (51a) is bent by the guide portion (255) so that the discharge end (511a) points toward the cell assembly (100) in the second direction (e.g., Y-axis direction). First, referring to Fig. 14, the cooling fluid can flow from the first space (S1) having the inlet port (50a), through the second space (S2), and into the third space (S3) having the outlet port (50b) to be discharged to the outside of the module housing (20). That is, unlike the above embodiment (see Fig. 3), the discharge end (511a) can be arranged to face the first busbar assembly (30a).

[0147] In this case, the cooling fluid discharged into the first space (S1) through the discharge end (511a) can flow into the second space (S2) through the pass hole (35) of the first busbar assembly (30a). And the cooling fluid introduced into the second space (S2) can be distributed and flowed through the first flow path (P1) and the second flow path (P2). Thereafter, the cooling fluid can pass through the pass hole (35) of the second busbar assembly (30b) and be discharged to the outside of the housing (20) along the second hose portion (51b).

[0148] Figures 15a and 15b illustrate that the orientation angle of the end (511) of the first hose section (51a), i.e., the discharge end (511a), is changed.

[0149] Referring to Fig. 15a, the first hose section (51a) may be bent so that the discharge end (511a) points upward or toward the first flow path (P1). In this case, the cooling fluid may be concentrated and pass through the first flow path (P1). In other words, the flow rate of the cooling fluid passing through the first flow path (P1) may increase compared to the second flow path (P2).

[0150] Referring to FIG. 15b, the first hose section (51a) may be bent so that the discharge end (511a) points downward or toward the second flow path (P2). In this case, the cooling fluid may be concentrated and pass through the second flow path (P2). In other words, the flow rate of the cooling fluid passing through the second flow path (P2) may increase compared to the first flow path (P1).

[0151] In this way, the present disclosure can control the flow rate of the cooling fluid passing through the first flow path (P1) and the second flow path (P2) by changing the flow direction of the cooling fluid flowing in the receiving space (S).

[0152] Meanwhile, in FIGS. 14 and 15, the first hose portion (51a) is described as being bent as described above, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is, in the drawing, the second hose portion (51b) is illustrated as being arranged diagonally so that the end (511) of the second hose portion (51b), i.e., the discharge end (511b), is directed toward the cell assembly (100), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the second hose portion (51b) of the outlet port (50b) may also be bent like the first hose portion (51a) to change the directivity angle of the discharge end (511b).

[0153] That is, it should be understood that the present disclosure includes all that are provided so that the orientation angle of the end (511; 511a, 511b) arranged in the receiving space (S) is changed by bending the hose portion (51; 51a, 51b).

[0154] The structure for changing the orientation angle of the discharge end (511a) and the exhaust end (511b) is described in more detail later in FIG. 18, FIG. 19a, and FIG. 19b.

[0155] Meanwhile, "changing the orientation angle of the discharge end (511a) and the exhaust end (511b)" or "changing the flow direction of the cooling fluid" here may mean changing the flow amount of the fluid passing through any one of the plurality of passages (P1, P2). For example, it may mean increasing the flow amount of the cooling fluid passing through the first passage (P1) as in Fig. 5a, or increasing the flow amount of the cooling fluid passing through the second passage (P2) as in Fig. 5b). That is, it is not limited to allowing the cooling fluid to flow only through any one of the plurality of passages (P1, P2).

[0156] In addition, in FIGS. 14 and 15, it is described that the hose portion (51) is bent around an axis parallel to the first direction (X-axis direction), but it may also be bent around an axis parallel to the third direction (Z-axis direction).

[0157] For example, referring again to the above-described FIGS. 8a and 8b, the second inlet port (50a-2) can not only discharge fluid in a direction toward the second outlet port (50b-2) that faces it as a pair, but can also rotate around an axis parallel to a third direction to discharge fluid in a direction toward the first or third outlet port (50b-1, 50b-3). In other words, anything that can change the discharge angle of the cooling fluid in any direction to change the flow direction of the cooling fluid in the receiving space (S) can be said to belong to the present disclosure.

[0158] Meanwhile, the flow of the cooling fluid within the receiving space (S) may vary significantly depending on the orientation angle of the first hose portion (51a) through which the cooling fluid is discharged. In other words, the flow of the cooling fluid may be significantly different when the second hose portion (51b) is fixed and the angle of the first hose portion (51a) is changed than when the first hose portion (51a) is fixed and the angle of the second hose portion (51b) is changed. This is because the cooling fluid is discharged through the end (511a; discharge end) of the first hose portion (51a), and therefore the hydraulic pressure of the cooling fluid is greater at the end (511a) of the first hose portion (51a) than at the end (511b; discharge end) of the second hose portion (51b).

[0159] In addition, as described above, although the end of the hose section (51) of the cooling port (50) positioned outside the housing (20) in the drawing is depicted as being disconnected, this is an example and may be connected to other configurations. For example, the outer end of the hose section (51) may be connected to a fluid circulation section (not shown) to be described later so that cooling fluid may circulate.

[0160] Hereinafter, the structure of a cooling port (50) of another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 to 19.

[0161] Fig. 17a is a perspective view of a cooling port according to another embodiment, and Fig. 17b is a cross-sectional view of the cooling port. Any details overlapping with the cooling port according to the embodiment described above in Figs. 10a and 10b are omitted.

[0162] According to another embodiment, the hose portion (51) may be extended to one side of the connector (55) such that the end of the hose portion (51) is placed in the receiving space (S). The hose portion (51) may be inserted into the interior of the housing (20) through the nipple (57).

[0163] According to another embodiment, the hose portion (51) may include an outer hose portion (512) disposed outside the housing (20) and an inner hose portion (513) disposed inside the housing (20), and the end (511) may be provided in the inner hose portion (513).

[0164] That is, in the structure described above in FIGS. 10a and 10b, the hose portion (51) can be seen as extending further toward the inside of the housing (20).

[0165] Hereinafter, a structure in which the hose section (51) is bent and the orientation angle is changed will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19.

[0166] Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a hose of a cooling port according to another embodiment, and Figs. 19a and 19b are exemplary drawings showing that the angle of the hose is changed according to another embodiment. The description of Figs. 18 and 19 is commonly applied to the first hose portion (511a) and the second hose portion (511b), but for the convenience of understanding, the description is based on the first hose portion (511a).

[0167] Referring to Fig. 18, in another embodiment, the cross-section of the hose portion (51) may be provided with a plurality of layers. Specifically, the hose portion (51) may include an outer layer (52a) disposed at the outermost side, an inner layer (52b) disposed on the inner side thereof to face the flowing cooling fluid, and a plurality of control wires (53) for bending the hose portion (51).

[0168] The outer layer (52a) may include an electrically insulating material and may be provided to externally surround the inner layer (52b) and the control wire (53). The inner layer (52b) may be made of a stable material that does not react with the cooling fluid.

[0169] The control wire (53) may be provided on the inner side of the outer layer (52a). The control wire (53) may be arranged between the outer layer (52a) and the inner layer (52b), or may be arranged on the inner side of the inner layer (52b).

[0170] In addition, the control wire (53) may be arranged in a form inserted into the inner layer (52a) or the inner layer (52b). In the drawing, the control wire (53) is illustrated as being inserted into the inner layer (52b), but the arrangement of the control wire (53) of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0171] For example, in one embodiment, the control wire (53) may be a piezoelectric wire having a property of changing its length depending on the applied current. The piezoelectric wire is a wire including an element whose length increases or decreases depending on the applied current, and its length may change depending on the magnitude of the current supplied from the fluid circulation unit. However, the control wire (53) of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0172] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, the control wire (53) may be provided with a plurality of control wires, for example, four control wires (53-1, 53-2, 53-3, 53-4).

[0173] Referring to FIGS. 18, 19a and 19b together, for example, when the lengths of the 1st and 3rd control wires (53-1, 53-3) increase and the lengths of the 2nd and 4th control wires (53-2, 53-4) decrease, the hose portion (51) can be bent upward (upper in the Z-axis direction), and conversely, when the length changes, it can be bent downward (lower in the Z-axis direction).

[0174] In addition, when the teeth of the 1st and 2nd control wires (53-1, 53-2) increase and the length of the 3rd and 4th control wires (53-3, 53-4) decrease, the hose part (51) can be bent to one side (one side in the X-axis direction), and conversely, when the length changes, it can be bent to the other side (the other side in the X-axis direction).

[0175] The hose part (51) of Fig. 19a can correspond to the state of the first hose part (51a) of Fig. 14, and the hose part (51) of Fig. 19b can correspond to the state of the first hose part (51a) of Fig. 15b.

[0176] Through this structure, the hose part (51) can change the angle at which the end (511) is directed.

[0177] Meanwhile, the hose section (51) is provided with a banding section (514) and can be bent around the banding section (514). The banding section (514) is not particularly limited as long as it allows the hose section (51) to be bent, and specifically, it can be placed in the inner hose section (513).

[0178] In order to easily adjust the direction of the terminal (511), the control wire (53) may be provided in an even number.

[0179]

[0180] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid distribution unit (39) may be provided between the busbar assembly (30) and the cell assembly (100). The fluid distribution unit (39) will be described below.

[0181] FIG. 20 is a schematic drawing showing a cross-section of a battery module equipped with a fluid distribution unit according to another embodiment, and FIG. 21 is a partial enlarged view of the fluid distribution unit (39) of FIG. 20.

[0182] Referring to Fig. 20, the fluid distribution unit (39) may be provided in a shape in which the area facing the cooling fluid increases from the upstream side to the downstream side based on the flow direction of the cooling fluid. The fluid distribution unit (39) may be arranged between the pass hole (35) and the cell assembly (100) in the busbar assembly (30) or the insulation panel (38).

[0183] Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, the second end plate (40b) is shown with the second end plate (40b) removed, but this is not limited to this, and the fluid distribution unit (39) may be arranged even when the second end plate (40b) is added.

[0184] The fluid distribution unit (39) is illustrated as being disposed between the first busbar assembly (30a) and the cell assembly (100) and between the second busbar assembly (30b) and the cell assembly (100), but may be disposed in at least one of the two. The cooling fluid may be distributed toward the first flow path (P1) and the second flow path (P2) while passing through the fluid distribution unit (39). In addition, turbulent flow may occur at the rear (downstream side) of the fluid distribution unit (39) to increase the cooling efficiency with respect to the cell assembly (100).

[0185] A pass hole guide (34) protruding toward the upstream side may be provided between the pass holes (35). The pass hole guide (34) may be formed by protruding a portion of the support plate (33) adjacent to the pass hole (35). The pass hole guide (34) may be provided in a shape like "[" so that the area facing the cooling fluid increases from the upstream side to the downstream side based on the flow direction of the cooling fluid. The pass hole guide (34) may allow the cooling fluid to flow into the pass hole (35). The pass hole guide (34) may be formed not only on the support plate (33) of the first bus bar assembly (30a) but also on the second bus bar assembly (33b).

[0186] Meanwhile, in the drawing, the first end plate (40a) may be provided with a protrusion (41) extending upstream with respect to the flow direction of the cooling fluid and having at least a portion inserted into the guide space (255a), and the plate hole (45) of the first end plate (40a) may be formed in the protrusion (41). In this way, by inserting or arranging at least a portion of the first end plate (40a) into or into the guide space (255a), the first hose portion (51a) can be supported more stably.

[0187] Referring to FIG. 21, the flow rate of the cooling fluid introduced into the first space (S1) by the fluid distribution unit (39) can be changed. The first flow section (a-1) is a section in which the discharge end (511a) of the inlet port (50a) is arranged and the discharged cooling fluid flows, the second flow section (a-2) is a section in which the cooling fluid passes through the pass hole (35), and the third flow section (a-3) can mean a section in which the fluid distribution unit (39) is arranged and the cooling fluid is distributed.

[0188] The first flow section (a-1) may be a space where the cooling fluid discharged through the first hose section (51a) is discharged. The first flow section (a-1) may be a space where the cooling fluid first enters. The end (511) of the first hose section (51a), i.e., the discharge end (511a), may have an inner hose section (513) bent so that the direction of direction is changed in the first section (a-1). At this time, the flow rate of the cooling fluid in the first flow section (a-1) may be lower than the flow rate of the cooling fluid in the second flow section (a-2) due to the pass hole (35) and the pass hole guide (34).

[0189] In the second flow section (a-2), the flow velocity of the cooling fluid may increase as it passes through the pass hole guide (34) and the pass hole (35). At this time, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid in the second flow section (a-2) may vary depending on the guide angle (a) formed between adjacent pass hole guides (34) and the guide width (b) at the ends. For example, as the guide angle (a) and the guide width (b) decrease, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid passing through the pass hole (35) may relatively increase, and conversely, as the values ​​increase, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid passing through the pass hole (35) may relatively decrease.

[0190] In the third flow section (a-3), at least some of the cooling fluid can come into contact with the fluid distribution section (39) and the flow direction can be dispersed. Through this, the cooling fluid can be more widely dispersed and flow in the third flow section (a-3).

[0191] Meanwhile, Fig. 21 is described based on the first busbar assembly (30a) arranged on the upstream side based on the flow direction of the cooling fluid, but the pass hole guide (34) and fluid distribution unit (39) of the second busbar assembly (30b) arranged on the downstream side can also perform the same function.

[0192] In this way, it is possible to appropriately control the flow rate of the cooling fluid entering the second space (S2) from the first space (S1) or entering the third space (S3) from the second space (S2) by adjusting the guide angle (a) and the guide width (b) in consideration of various conditions such as the number of battery cells (110) and the number of cooling ports (50).

[0193] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure as set forth in the claims. Some components of the above-described embodiments may be omitted, and the embodiments may be implemented in combination with each other.

[0194] The above description is merely an example of applying the principles of the present disclosure, and other configurations may be further included without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. Housing provided with a receiving space; A cell assembly accommodated in the above-described accommodation space and including a plurality of battery cells; a first cooling port disposed in the housing so as to face at least one side of the cell assembly and supplying cooling fluid to the receiving space; and At least a portion of the second cooling port is disposed in the housing so as to face the other side of the cell assembly, and the second cooling port discharges the cooling fluid supplied to the receiving space to the outside of the housing; A battery module wherein the first cooling port and the second cooling port are arranged to have different heights.

2. In paragraph 1, A battery module wherein the second cooling port is positioned higher than the first cooling port.

3. In paragraph 1, The first cooling port includes a discharge end through which cooling fluid is discharged, and the second cooling port includes a discharge end through which cooling fluid of the receiving space is introduced. A battery module in which the above discharge terminal is positioned above the above discharge terminal.

4. In paragraph 1, The above plurality of battery cells are stacked in the first direction in the receiving space. A battery module wherein the first cooling port and the second cooling port are arranged to face each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

5. In paragraph 4, The first cooling port and the second cooling port are each provided in multiples, A battery module, wherein each of the plurality of first cooling ports and the plurality of second cooling ports is provided in a plurality of pairs facing each other along the second direction.

6. In paragraph 4, A battery module further comprising a guide member provided in the housing for guiding cooling fluid supplied from the first cooling port in the second direction.

7. In paragraph 6, A battery module in which the guide member is positioned lower than the first cooling port and at least a portion of the guide member is positioned to face the first cooling port.

8. In paragraph 1, In the above-mentioned receiving space, the first busbar assembly and the second busbar assembly are respectively arranged on one side and the other side of the cell assembly, and each includes a plurality of pass holes through which a cooling fluid passes. The above accommodation space is A first space between the housing and the first busbar assembly; The cell assembly is arranged, and a second space between the first busbar assembly and the second busbar assembly; and A battery module comprising a third space between the second busbar assembly and the housing.

9. In paragraph 8, The housing includes a first cover positioned above the cell assembly and a second cover positioned below the cell assembly and facing the first cover with the cell assembly interposed therebetween; The above second space A battery module including a first passage formed as a space between the cell assembly and the first cover, and a second passage formed as a space between the cell assembly and the second cover.

10. In paragraph 9, The above cell assembly includes a plurality of cooling fins arranged between the plurality of battery cells, The above plurality of cooling fins are, A body portion facing the plurality of battery cells; A first extension portion extending to one side from the above body portion and arranged in the first euro; and A battery module including a second extension portion extending from the body portion to the other side and arranged in the second euro.

11. In paragraph 9, The above cell assembly includes a plurality of cooling fins arranged between the plurality of battery cells, The above multiple cooling fins A battery module extending to contact at least one of the first cover or the second cover and separating at least one of the first euro or the second euro into a plurality of euros.

12. In paragraph 8, The first busbar assembly and the second busbar assembly each include a plurality of busbars electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, A battery module in which the plurality of pass holes are arranged between the plurality of bus bars along the first direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked.

13. In paragraph 8, The above first busbar assembly is provided with a fluid guide that guides the flow of cooling fluid supplied from the first cooling port. The above fluid guide A guide body in which one or more guide holes communicating with the plurality of pass holes are formed; and A battery module including an extension portion extending along a first direction in which the battery cells are stacked in the guide body.

14. In paragraph 8, The above first busbar assembly further includes a plurality of pass hole guides arranged between the plurality of pass holes and protruding in a direction toward the first cooling port, The above multiple pass hole guides A battery module having a shape in which the spacing between the plurality of adjacent pass holes gradually narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side based on the flow direction of the cooling fluid.

15. In paragraph 8, A fluid distribution unit is arranged between the plurality of pass holes and the cell assembly to distribute the flow of the flowing cooling fluid. The above fluid distribution section A battery module having a shape in which the width facing the cooling fluid increases from the upstream side to the downstream side based on the direction of flow of the cooling fluid in the above-mentioned receiving space.

16. In paragraph 1 The first cooling port includes a first hose section, at least a portion of which is disposed in the receiving space, through which a fluid supplied to the receiving space flows; The second cooling port includes a second hose section through which cooling fluid flows, at least part of which is disposed in the receiving space and discharged to the outside of the housing; A battery module in which at least one of the first hose section or the second hose section is provided so as to be foldable in the receiving space.

17. In Article 16 The first hose section is provided with a discharge end for discharging cooling fluid at an end positioned in the receiving space, and the second hose section is provided with a discharge end for introducing cooling fluid of the receiving space at an end positioned in the receiving space. A battery module in which at least one of the first hose portion or the second hose portion is bent in a predetermined direction so that the direction directed by the discharge end or the exhaust end is changed.

18. Housing having a receiving space; A cell assembly disposed in the above-mentioned receiving space and including a plurality of battery cells; A first cooling port provided in the housing and supplying cooling fluid to the receiving space; and A second cooling port provided in the housing for discharging cooling fluid in the receiving space to the outside of the housing; The housing includes a first port mounting portion and a second port mounting portion on which the first cooling port and the second cooling port are respectively mounted, A battery module in which the first port mounting portion and the second port mounting portion are positioned at different heights.

19. A cell assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells; A housing having a receiving space in which the cell assembly is placed, and including a first cover and a second cover coupled to face each other with the cell assembly interposed therebetween; and A first cooling port having a discharge end for discharging cooling fluid and disposed in the receiving space to discharge cooling fluid into the receiving space; The above-described receiving space includes first and second passages through which cooling fluid flows between the cell assembly and the first cover, A battery module in which the first cooling port changes the direction of the discharge end so as to change the flow rate of the cooling fluid flowing through the first and second passages.

20. In paragraph 19, The above discharge terminal is A battery module in which the orientation is changed to face at least one of the first euro, the second euro or the cell assembly.

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