Battery module

Abstract

A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a module housing having an accommodation space; and a plurality of pouch-type battery cells horizontally arranged inside the accommodation space and stacked in a thickness direction. The battery cells may comprise: a body portion for accommodating an electrode assembly; and a sealing portion extending from an edge of the body portion and having at least a portion folded downward to prevent moisture from accumulating.

Description

battery module

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0014258, dated January 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technology field

[0004] The present invention relates to a battery module, and more particularly, to a battery module accommodating a plurality of pouch-type battery cells.

[0005] Currently, the battery module of a secondary battery cell in the form of a pouch has a cooling plate positioned at the bottom of the module to cool the battery cells, and the battery cells are stacked horizontally in a vertical state and cooled from the bottom by the cooling plate.

[0006] In this case, when a thermal event occurs, the flames are ejected in the upper and lower directions, and the upper part requires a separate structure to prevent heat propagation in the direction of the inside of a device such as a vehicle equipped with a battery module.

[0007] Additionally, because the battery cells are arranged vertically, they are vulnerable to external shocks from above and below, and there is also a problem that electrical stability is reduced due to moisture generated at the bottom, such as condensation during cooling.

[0008] The background technology described above is something that the inventor possessed or acquired in the process of deriving the disclosure of the present application, and cannot necessarily be said to be a publicly known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the present application.

[0009] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems,

[0010] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery module in which the thermal stability of the battery cell can be improved by cooling the battery cell from both sides.

[0011] Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery module that can improve electrical stability by preventing moisture accumulation due to condensation.

[0012] A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a module housing having an accommodation space, and a plurality of pouch-shaped battery cells arranged horizontally inside the accommodation space and stacked in the thickness direction, wherein the battery cells may include a body portion that accommodates an electrode assembly, and a sealing portion that extends from an edge of the body portion and has at least one portion folded downward to prevent moisture from accumulating.

[0013] The above battery module may further include a cooling plate provided in the receiving space to contact the battery cell and cool the battery cell.

[0014] The stack of battery cells is arranged in a grid shape along the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the battery cells, and the cooling plate can extend along the longitudinal direction of the battery cells.

[0015] The cooling plate may extend from one end of the receiving space to the other end.

[0016] The above cooling plates may be arranged in multiple numbers spaced apart from each other along the width direction of the battery cell.

[0017] The above cooling plate can be placed in a direction perpendicular to the ground.

[0018] The cooling plate may be in contact with the battery cell at both ends in the width direction of the battery cell.

[0019] The sealing portion may include a side region that folds downward on both longitudinal sides of the battery cell, and a terrace region that surrounds an electrode tab located at one longitudinal end of the battery cell.

[0020] The cooling plate may include a side cooling unit extending along the length of the battery cell to cool the side region, and a terrace cooling unit extending from the side cooling unit to cool the terrace region.

[0021] The above terrace cooling unit can extend from an end of the side cooling unit in a direction toward the electrode tab.

[0022] The above terrace cooling unit may overlap the above terrace area.

[0023] The battery module according to the present invention can improve the thermal stability of the battery cell by cooling the battery cell from both sides.

[0024] The battery module according to the present invention can improve electrical stability by preventing moisture accumulation due to condensation.

[0025] In addition, the configurations according to the embodiments of the present invention may include effects that can be easily predicted by those skilled in the art.

[0026] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery module according to a comparative example of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 is a plan view of the module housing of the battery module illustrated in Figure 1.

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement structure of battery cells and cooling plates of a battery module according to a comparative example of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 is a drawing showing the form in which moisture accumulates in the battery cell of Figure 3.

[0030] Figure 5 is a plan view of a battery module according to Example 1 of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a drawing schematically showing the arrangement of battery cells of a battery module according to Example 1 of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the battery cell illustrated in Figure 6.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the arrangement of battery cells and cooling plates of a battery module according to Example 1 of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 is a schematic front view of the battery cell and cooling plate of Figure 8.

[0035] Figure 10 is a plan view of a battery module according to Example 2 of the present invention.

[0036] Fig. 11 is a front view showing the structure of a battery cell and a cooling plate of a battery module according to Example 2 of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 12 is a plan view of Figure 11.

[0038] Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the structure of a battery cell and a cooling plate of a battery module according to Example 3 of the present invention.

[0039] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention. The following description is one of several aspects of the embodiments, and in describing one embodiment, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations will be omitted to clarify the gist of the present invention.

[0040] In this specification, when adding reference signs to components in each drawing, the same or similar reference signs are attached to identical or similar components throughout the specification. Components included in one embodiment and components that have common functions will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Terms or words used in this specification and the claims should not be interpreted as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that are consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to best explain his or her invention.

[0041] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made based on this disclosure. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described above, and all variations equivalent to or equivalent to the claims, as well as the scope of the claims, are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0042] Comparative example

[0043] Figures 1 to 4 illustrate battery modules according to comparative examples of the present invention.

[0044] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module according to a comparative example of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the module housing (110) of the battery module illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement structure of battery cells and cooling plates of a battery module according to a comparative example of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a drawing showing a form in which moisture accumulates in the battery cell of Fig. 3.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a battery module according to a comparative example of the present invention may include a module housing (110), a battery cell (120), and a cooling plate (130).

[0046] The module housing (110) is provided to accommodate a plurality of battery cells (120), and may be provided with an accommodation space (s) therein capable of accommodating the battery cells (120). The module housing (110) may have a shape of a rectangular frame that is opened upward, and a plurality of battery cells (120) may be stacked and accommodated in the accommodation space (s) of the module housing (110). The upper opening of the module housing (110) may be covered with a top plate (t). The top plate (t) may be provided with a plurality of through holes that are provided to vent heat or gas emissions generated in the plurality of battery cells (120) accommodated inside the module housing (110) (e.g., when thermal runaway occurs).

[0047] A plurality of battery cells (120) may be stacked and provided in the receiving space (s) of the module housing (110). In the battery module according to the comparative example of the present invention, a plurality of battery cells (120) may be stacked in a vertical direction in the receiving space (s) of the module housing (110). In other words, each battery cell (120) may be placed in a vertically upright state with respect to the ground, and the stacking direction in which the plurality of battery cells (120) are stacked may be a horizontal direction parallel to the ground (see FIG. 3).

[0048] In this case, since the battery cell (120) is placed in a vertically erected state, if condensation occurs in the battery cell (120), moisture may flow downward and accumulate, and a problem may occur in which the side (a) of the battery cell (120) located at the lower side of the receiving space (s) in contact with the cooling plate (130) is exposed to moisture (see FIG. 4).

[0049] A cooling plate (130) may be provided to cool the battery cell (120). The cooling plate (130) may be in contact with a portion of the battery cell (120) to cool the battery cell (120). The cooling plate (130) may be positioned on the inner bottom surface of the receiving space (s) of the module housing (110). The cooling plate (130) may be formed in the shape of a rectangular flat plate having a predetermined thickness, and may be provided with, for example, a cooling channel or the like therein to cool the battery cell (120) through heat transfer with the battery cell (120).

[0050] In a battery module according to a comparative example of the present invention, the cooling plate (130) may cool the battery cell (120) by coming into contact with one side of the battery cell (120) located at the lower side of the receiving space (s). In this case, only one side of the battery cell (120) may be cooled, which may reduce cooling efficiency. Furthermore, in the event of an event such as a thermal runaway phenomenon, heat may be transmitted in the width direction of the battery cell (120), which may cause heat damage to a device (e.g., an automobile) in which the battery module is mounted, such as a flame ejected through an opening of the top plate (t).

[0051] In addition, since the battery cell (120) is structured to be vertically erected from the bottom surface, it may be a structure vulnerable to impact in the vertical direction.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] Figures 5 to 9 illustrate a battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0054] Fig. 5 is a plan view of a battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a drawing schematically showing the arrangement of battery cells (20) of a battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the battery cells (20) illustrated in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the arrangement of battery cells (20) and cooling plates (30) of a battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a schematic front view of the battery cells (20) and cooling plates (30) of Fig. 8.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 5 to 9, a battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention may include a module housing (10), a battery cell (20), and a cooling plate (30).

[0056] The module housing (10) is provided to accommodate a plurality of battery cells (20), and may have an accommodation space therein capable of accommodating the battery cells (20). The module housing (10) may have the shape of a rectangular frame that is opened upward, and a plurality of battery cells (20) may be stacked and accommodated in the accommodation space (s) of the module housing (10). A plurality of battery cells (20) may be stacked in the accommodation space (s) of the module housing (10).

[0057] In the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the battery cells (20) may be arranged horizontally in the internal receiving space of the module housing (10). The battery cells (20) may be, for example, pouch-type secondary battery cells, and may be provided in a rectangular shape having a predetermined thickness overall. The battery cells (20) may be arranged horizontally and stacked in the vertical direction, which is the thickness direction (see FIG. 9), and the stack of battery cells (20) stacked in the vertical direction may be arranged in a grid shape in the interior of the module housing (10) along the width direction and the length direction of the battery cells (20). Support pads (25) may be provided between the stacked battery cells (20). The support pads (25) may be stacked between the battery cells (20) to space the battery cells (20) apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction, support the battery cells (20) in the thickness direction, and apply an appropriate pressure to the battery cells (20).

[0058] The battery cell (20) may include a body portion (21) and a sealing portion (22). The battery cell (20) may be formed by combining an electrode assembly into an outer pouch formed in a preset shape and then sealing the electrode assembly. Accordingly, the body portion (21) and the sealing portion (22) may be provided as a single body, but are not limited thereto.

[0059] The body portion (21) can accommodate an electrode assembly. The sealing portion (22) can have a shape extending from the edge of the body portion (21) and can be folded or rolled in the shape of a sealed sheet between the outer materials. The sealing portion (22) can be provided so that at least one portion can be folded downward to prevent moisture from accumulating due to condensation or the like. In other words, one portion of the sealing portion (22) can be provided in a shape extending downward from the edge of the body portion (21).

[0060] By adopting this configuration, even if moisture is generated in the battery cell (20) due to condensation or the like, the moisture may not accumulate in the battery cell (20), and the moisture may flow smoothly due to the folding portion (b) of the sealing portion (22) that opens downward. Therefore, the phenomenon of the battery cell (20) being continuously exposed to moisture can also be prevented. Since the sealing portion (22) has electrical insulation, the insulation and electrical stability can also be improved when the battery cell is stacked in a form in which it is folded downward from the edge to cover the body portion (21).

[0061] The sealing portion (22) of the battery cell (20) may include a side region (221) and a terrace region (222) (see FIG. 7). The side region (221) may be a region that folds downward on both longitudinal sides of the battery cell (20). The terrace region (222) may be a region of the sealing portion (22) excluding the side region (221), and may be a region that surrounds the electrode tab and the lead portion (23) located at one longitudinal end of the battery cell (20). In the case of the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the side region (221) of the sealing portion (22) may be cooled by coming into contact with the cooling plate (30). In other words, the battery cell (20) may be cooled from both sides due to the cooling plate (30).

[0062] A cooling plate (30) may be provided to cool the battery cell (20). The cooling plate (30) may be placed together with the battery cell (20) in the receiving space of the module housing (10). The cooling plate (30) may come into contact with a portion of the battery cell (20) within the receiving space to cool the battery cell (20).

[0063] The cooling plate (30) may be formed in the form of a rectangular flat plate having a predetermined thickness, and may have a cooling member such as a cooling channel provided therein to cool the battery cell (20) through heat transfer with the battery cell (20), or may have high thermal conductivity to cool the battery cell (20) by transferring the heat of the battery cell (20) to the outside, but is not limited thereto.

[0064] In the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the cooling plate (30) may be arranged to be placed in a direction perpendicular to the ground. The cooling plate (30) may be placed perpendicular to the ground and positioned between stacks of battery cells (20) arranged in a grid shape.

[0065] The cooling plate (30) may be placed, for example, along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (20). In this case, the cooling plate (30) may have a shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (20). The cooling plate (30) may be provided in multiple pieces, and each of the multiple cooling plates (30) may extend along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (20) and may extend from one end of the receiving space to the other end.

[0066] A plurality of cooling plates (30) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the width direction of the battery cell (20). In other words, the cooling plates (30) may be positioned to contact both width direction ends of the battery cell (20) to cool the battery cell (20). The cooling plates (30) may contact both sides of the battery cell (20) to cool both sides of the battery cell (20), thereby enabling bidirectional cooling of the battery cell (20). The cooling plates (30) may contact the sealing portion (22) of the battery cell (20). Specifically, the cooling plates (30) may contact the side area (221) of the sealing portion (22) to cool the battery cell (20). The cooling plates (30) and the side area (221) may be combined and fixed by a fixing member (34), such as a thermal resin having high thermal conductivity.

[0067] The cooling plate (30) may be arranged to cross the receiving space along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (20) as described above. By adopting this configuration, the cooling plate (30) of the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can function as a partition that blocks and cools the propagation of heat on both sides of the battery cell (20) when a thermal event occurs in the battery cell (20).

[0068] In other words, by arranging a plurality of cooling plates (30) spaced apart from each other inside the module housing (10), the space for accommodating the battery cells (20) can be divided into a plurality of compartment spaces, and this division of the compartment spaces can effectively prevent heat propagation between the battery cells (10). This may be because the heat propagation (TP) generated in each compartment space does not propagate to the neighboring compartment spaces separated by the cooling plates (30). The compartment spaces inside the accommodation space formed by the plurality of cooling plates (30) can be formed along the longitudinal direction of the battery cells (20).

[0069] Since heat transfer between battery cells (20) is mainly carried out in the width direction of the battery cells (20), heat transfer to neighboring battery cells (20) in the width direction can be more efficiently blocked due to the structure of the cooling plate (30) provided to be in contact with both sides of the battery cells (20), and the cooling plate (30) can significantly reduce the thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery module by simultaneously blocking heat transfer between battery cells (20) and cooling the battery cells (20).

[0070] Furthermore, since the flat cooling plate (30) has the form of a frame that crosses from one end of the module housing (10) to the other end, the rigidity of the battery module itself can be greatly increased by supporting the structure of the module housing, and since a plurality of battery cells (20) are arranged horizontally, the impact resistance and stability of the module can also be increased.

[0071] Example 2

[0072] Figures 10 to 12 illustrate a battery module according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0073] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a battery module according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a front view showing the structure of a battery cell (20) and a cooling plate (30) of a battery module according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a plan view of FIG. 11.

[0074] In Embodiment 2 of the present invention, there may be a difference from Embodiment 1 in that the shape of the cooling plate (30) is formed to be partially different so as to additionally cool the terrace area (222) of the sealing portion (22). Except for the difference, it should be noted that the contents of the battery module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention described above can be commonly applied to Embodiment 2 as well, and therefore, the contents in common with Embodiment 1 will be omitted as much as possible, and Embodiment 2 will be described focusing on the differences from Embodiment 1.

[0075] Referring to FIGS. 10 to 12, the cooling plate (30) of the battery module according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention may include a side cooling unit (31) and a terrace cooling unit (32).

[0076] The side cooling unit (31) may be provided to cool the side area (221) of the sealing unit (22), and may be provided in a form extending along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (20). A plurality of side cooling units (31) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the width direction of the battery cell (20), and may cool the battery cell (20) by contacting both ends of the width direction of the battery cell (20). The side cooling unit (31) may cool the battery cell (20) by contacting the side area (221) of the sealing unit (22).

[0077] The terrace cooling unit (32) may be provided to cool the terrace area (222) of the sealing unit (22). The terrace cooling unit (32) may have a shape extending from the side cooling unit (31). The terrace cooling unit (32) may extend in a shape that is bent in a direction from the side cooling unit (31) toward the electrode tab-lead portion (23) of the battery cell (20). The terrace cooling unit (32) may be provided in a shape that surrounds the periphery of the terrace area (222) of the sealing unit (22) together with the side cooling unit (31). The terrace cooling unit (32) may be formed to extend toward the electrode tab-lead portion (23), but not to a length that touches the electrode tab-lead (23). The terrace cooling unit (32) and the side cooling unit (31) may be formed integrally, and thus the cooling plate (30) may have an L-shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0078] By adopting a configuration of a terrace cooling section (32) of a cooling plate (30) that additionally cools the terrace area (222) of the sealing section (22), the volume expansion of gas inside the battery cell (20) flowing into the terrace area (222) of the sealing section (22) can be suppressed, and thus, the phenomenon of damage to the battery cell due to gas leakage, etc. can be significantly reduced.

[0079] The cooling plate (30) and the side region (221) can be joined and fixed with a fixing member (34), such as a thermal resin having high thermal conductivity.

[0080] Example 3

[0081] Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the structure of a battery cell (20) and a cooling plate (30) of a battery module according to Example 3 of the present invention.

[0082] In Embodiment 3 of the present invention, there may be a difference from Embodiment 2 in that the shape of the terrace cooling unit (33) that cools the terrace area (222) is formed in a slightly different manner. Similarly, common contents will be omitted as much as possible, and Embodiment 2 will be described focusing on the differences.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 13, the cooling plate (30) of the battery module according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention may include a side cooling unit (31) and a terrace cooling unit (33).

[0084] The terrace cooling unit (33) may extend from the side cooling unit (31) and may have a shape that overlaps the terrace area (222) of the sealing unit (22). In this case, the terrace cooling unit (33) may be provided in a shape that extends between two adjacent side cooling units (31) spaced apart in the width direction of the battery cell (20). The side cooling unit (31) and the terrace cooling unit (33) may be formed integrally, and the cooling plate (30) may have a T-shape.

[0085] Since the terrace cooling unit (33) overlaps the terrace area (222) in the stacking direction of the battery cells (20), the cooling efficiency of the terrace area (222) can be greatly improved, and gas venting phenomena that may occur in the terrace area (222) can be further reduced. In addition, since the adjacent side cooling units (31) are structurally connected, the structural rigidity and stability of the cooling plate (30) can be improved.

[0086] In the above description, although the present invention has been described by limited embodiments and drawings, the above description is merely an example of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

[0087] Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate, rather than limit, the technical concept of the present invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical concepts within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention.

[0088] [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 10: Module housing

[0090] 20: Battery cell

[0091] 21: Body

[0092] 22: Sealing part

[0093] 221: Side area

[0094] 222: Terrace Area

[0095] 23: Electrode tab-lead section

[0096] 25: Support pad

[0097] 30: Cooling plate

[0098] 31: Side cooling unit

[0099] 32, 33: Terrace cooling unit

Claims

1. A module housing having a receiving space; and It comprises a plurality of pouch-shaped battery cells arranged horizontally inside the above-mentioned receiving space and stacked in the thickness direction, The above battery cell, a body portion accommodating the electrode assembly; and A battery module comprising a sealing portion extending from an edge of the body portion and having at least one portion folded downward to prevent moisture from accumulating.

2. In paragraph 1, A battery module further comprising a cooling plate provided in the receiving space to contact the battery cell and cool the battery cell.

3. In paragraph 2, A battery module, wherein the stack of battery cells is arranged in a grid shape along the longitudinal and width directions of the battery cells, and the cooling plate extends along the longitudinal direction of the battery cells.

4. In paragraph 3, A battery module wherein the cooling plate extends from one end of the receiving space to the other end.

5. In paragraph 3, A battery module in which a plurality of cooling plates are spaced apart from each other along the width direction of the battery cell.

6. In paragraph 2, The above cooling plate is placed in a direction perpendicular to the ground, the battery module.

7. In paragraph 3, A battery module in which the cooling plate is in contact with the battery cell at both ends in the width direction of the battery cell.

8. In paragraph 2, The above sealing part, A side region folded downward on both longitudinal sides of the battery cell; and A battery module comprising a terrace region surrounding an electrode tab located at one longitudinal end of the battery cell.

9. In paragraph 8, The cooling plate comprises a side cooling portion extending along the length of the battery cell to cool the side area; and A battery module comprising a terrace cooling unit extending from the side cooling unit to cool the terrace area.

10. In paragraph 9, A battery module in which the terrace cooling unit extends from an end of the side cooling unit in a direction toward the electrode tab.

11. In paragraph 9, The above terrace cooling unit is a battery module that overlaps the above terrace area.

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