Battery module, battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed are a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle. A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a plurality of battery cells; a module case in which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated; and flame suppression pads disposed between the plurality of battery cells inside the module case, wherein each flame suppression pad is coated with a heat insulating member or has a heat insulating member included therein.

Description

Battery modules and battery packs and automobiles

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0079832, filed on June 19, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the said application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle, and more particularly, to a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle capable of preventing the spread of flame.

[0003] Generally, secondary batteries refer to batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. A battery cell, the most basic type of secondary battery, can provide an output voltage of approximately 2.5 V to 4.2 V.

[0004] Recently, as these battery cells are applied to devices that require high output voltage and large charging capacity, such as electric vehicles and Energy Storage Systems (ESS), battery modules composed of multiple battery cells connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel, and battery packs composed of these battery modules connected again in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel, are widely used.

[0005] Lithium secondary batteries are currently in the spotlight due to their advantages such as high operating voltage and significantly higher energy density. However, because they use organic electrolytes, there is a problem that lithium secondary batteries can cause overcurrent and overheating when overcharged, which in severe cases can cause fire due to explosion or ignition.

[0006] In conventional battery modules, compression pads are placed between battery cells housed within the module and adjacent battery cells. However, conventional compression pads are easily burned by flames when a thermal event occurs within the battery module, potentially spreading the flames to other adjacent battery cells.

[0007] In addition, if the flame or gas spreads to another battery cell or another battery module, a thermal runaway phenomenon may occur, and if the flame leaks out due to the thermal runaway phenomenon, there is a problem that the driver of the electric vehicle may be burned or put in a dangerous situation.

[0008] Alternatively, there is a problem in that the battery module or battery pack is damaged or burned down by a chain reaction of flames caused by flame propagation, making it impossible to secure the stability of the battery module or battery pack.

[0009] Accordingly, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle that can prevent a flame generated in one battery cell from spreading to another neighboring battery cell or another battery module.

[0010] In addition, the present invention provides a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle that can prevent thermal runaway by preventing a chain reaction of flames caused by flame propagation.

[0011] Additionally, it provides a battery module and a battery pack and a vehicle capable of emitting flames in a preset direction.

[0012] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery module may be provided, comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a module case in which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated; and a flame suppression pad disposed between the plurality of battery cells inside the module case, wherein the flame suppression pad is coated with an insulating material or has an insulating material included therein.

[0014] In one embodiment, the insulating material contains an air layer or moisture and can be inserted inside the flame suppression pad.

[0015] In one embodiment, the insulating member may be manufactured in a circular or polygonal shape and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad.

[0016] In one embodiment, the insulating member is plural, and the plural insulating members can be distributed throughout the entire inside of the flame suppression pad.

[0017] In one embodiment, the plurality of insulating members may be arranged so as to have a predetermined spacing.

[0018] In one embodiment, the insulating member may be made of yellow clay.

[0019] In one embodiment, the insulating member may be a loess ball made into a ball shape using the loess and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad.

[0020] In one embodiment, the clay ball can be manufactured to contain both an air layer and moisture inside.

[0021] In one embodiment, the surface of the flame suppression pad may include a yellow clay coating portion coated with yellow clay.

[0022] In one embodiment, the insulating member may be made of vermiculite.

[0023] In one embodiment, the surface of the flame suppression pad may be coated with the vermiculite.

[0024] In one embodiment, the insulating member may include a yellow clay plate coated with fire-resistant paint.

[0025] In one embodiment, the yellow clay plates are provided in plurality, and the plurality of yellow clay plates can be arranged vertically inside the flame suppression pad.

[0026] Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, a battery pack including the above-described battery module can be provided, and further, a vehicle including the above-described battery module can be provided.

[0027] Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, a battery pack may be provided, including the plurality of battery cells described above; a pack case in which the plurality of battery cells are stored; and a flame suppression pad disposed between the plurality of battery cells inside the pack case, wherein the flame suppression pad is characterized in that it is coated with an insulating material or includes an insulating material therein, and further, an automobile including the battery pack described above may be provided.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention have the effect of preventing a flame generated in one battery cell from spreading to another neighboring battery cell or another battery module.

[0029] Additionally, it has the effect of preventing thermal runaway by preventing a chain reaction of flames due to flame propagation.

[0030] Additionally, it has the effect of being able to emit flames in a preset direction.

[0031] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0032] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention described below, serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to matters described in such drawings.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 1.

[0035] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of part B of Figure 2.

[0036] Fig. 4 is a first modified embodiment for Fig. 3.

[0037] Fig. 5 is a second modified embodiment for Fig. 3.

[0038] Fig. 6 is a third modified embodiment for Fig. 3.

[0039] Fig. 7 is a fourth modified embodiment for Fig. 3.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a battery pack including a battery module according to each embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining a vehicle including the battery pack of FIG. 8.

[0042] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their conventional or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted with meanings and concepts that conform to the technical idea 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 own invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and various equivalents and modifications may exist as of the time of this application.

[0043] In the drawings, the sizes of each component or specific parts of that component are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for convenience and clarity of explanation. Therefore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect its actual size. If a detailed description of a related known function or configuration is deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such description will be omitted.

[0044] The term 'joint' or 'connection' as used herein includes not only cases where one member is directly joined or directly connected to another member, but also cases where one member is indirectly joined or indirectly connected to another member through a connecting member.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of portion B of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a first modified embodiment for FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a second modified embodiment for FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a third modified embodiment for FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a fourth modified embodiment for FIG. 3.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a battery module (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells (100), a module case (200), and a flame suppression pad (300).

[0047] The battery cell (100) may come in various types. For example, the battery cell (100) may include at least one of a pouch-type battery cell, a cylindrical battery cell, and a square battery cell. However, for convenience of explanation, the following description focuses on the case where the battery cell (100) is a pouch-type battery cell.

[0048] A plurality of battery cells (100) can be stacked on top of each other. The battery cells (100) can have various structures, and furthermore, the plurality of battery cells (100) can be stacked in various ways.

[0049] The battery cell (100) may have a structure in which a plurality of unit cells arranged in the order of positive plate-separator-negative plate or bi-cells arranged in the order of positive plate-separator-negative plate-separator-positive plate-separator-negative plate are stacked according to the battery capacity.

[0050] The battery cell (100) may be equipped with an electrode lead. The electrode lead is a type of terminal that is exposed to the outside and connected to an external device, and may be made of a conductive material. The electrode lead may include a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead.

[0051] The positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead may be positioned in opposite directions with respect to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (100), or the positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead may be positioned in the same direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell (100).

[0052] Meanwhile, for example, a battery cell (100) may be accommodated in a module case (200), and the module case (200) in which the battery cell (100) is accommodated may be accommodated in a pack case (21) to form a battery pack (20).

[0053] However, it is not limited thereto, and the module case (200) can be removed to reduce the weight and volume of the module case (200), in which case the battery cell (100) can be directly stored in the pack case (21) of the battery pack (20). According to this method, the battery cell (100) can be stored more in the space occupied by the module case (200) of the battery module (10) within the battery pack (20), thereby increasing space efficiency and improving battery capacity.

[0054] However, for the convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on a case in which a module case (200) is provided and a battery cell (100) is housed in the module case (200). That is, the description will focus on an embodiment in which a battery module (10) is housed in a battery pack (20). In addition, an embodiment in which a battery cell (100) is directly housed in a pack case (21) of a battery pack (20) will be described later.

[0055] A plurality of battery cells (100) are housed in a module case (200). Here, the plurality of battery cells (100) may be housed in the module case (200) in a stacked form, i.e., in the form of a battery cell stack, as described above. In addition, the module case (200) surrounds the plurality of battery cells (100), thereby protecting the battery cells (100) from external vibrations or shocks.

[0056] For example, the module case (200) may include an upper module case (210), a lower module case (220), and a side module case (230). In addition, the module case (200) surrounds the battery cells (100) and thereby protects the battery cells (100) from external vibrations or shocks.

[0057] The module case (200) may include a mica plate formed of mica that has both thermal insulation and heat resistance to prevent flame leakage. Here, the mica plate may include not only a flat mica plate but also a shape having a mixture of flat and curved surfaces.

[0058] The module case (200) may be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the battery cell stack. For example, if the battery cell stack is formed in a hexahedral shape with a rectangular cross-section, the module case (200) may also be formed in a hexahedral shape corresponding to this.

[0059] The module case (200) can be manufactured, for example, by bending a metal plate, thereby forming the module case (200) as an integral part. When the module case (200) is manufactured as an integral part, the joining process is simplified and simplified. Alternatively, the module case (200) may be provided in a detachable form and joined by welding or the like. However, the material of the module case (200) is not limited to a metal material.

[0060] When the module case (200) is formed as an integral body or joined by welding, an adhesive is unnecessary, so that even if the temperature inside the battery module (10) rises, the upper module case (210) does not separate from the side module case (230), thereby preventing flames, gases, or high-temperature particles from being emitted all at once in an undesirable direction.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 2, a flame suppression pad (300) is placed between a plurality of battery cells (100) inside a module case (200). Here, the flame suppression pad (300) may be coated with an insulating material (400), or the insulating material (400) may be included inside the flame suppression pad (300). This will be described in detail below.

[0062] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, when the insulating member (400) is included within the flame suppression pad (300), the insulating member (400) may be configured to contain an air layer or moisture. For example, the insulating member (400) may be configured to contain an air layer or moisture during the process of manufacturing the insulating member (400), or the insulating member (400) may be manufactured using a material containing an air layer or moisture.

[0063] In addition, the insulating member (400) is inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300) while containing an air layer or moisture. If the insulating member (400) is inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300), when a flame occurs in any one of the battery cells (100), the propagation of the flame can be prevented by the insulating member (400) containing an air layer or moisture.

[0064] The insulating member (400) may be formed in various shapes. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the insulating member (400) may be formed in a circular shape and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the insulating member (400) may be formed in an oval shape and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300).

[0065] Alternatively, the insulating member (400) may be formed into a polygon and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300). Referring to FIG. 5, the insulating member (400) may be formed into a square (rhombus), but is not limited thereto, and the shape of the insulating member (400) may be more diverse.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the number of insulating members (400) may be multiple, and the multiple insulating members (400) may be distributed throughout the entire inside of the flame suppression pad (300). In this case, the multiple insulating members (400) may be distributed randomly or according to a preset pattern. For example, the multiple insulating members (400) may be distributed so as to have a preset interval.

[0067] The insulating member (400) can be made of various materials, for example, yellow clay. Alternatively, it can be made of vermiculite having a crystal structure similar to mica. However, the material of the insulating member (400) is not limited thereto.

[0068] The insulating member (400) may be formed in a ball shape. For example, if the material of the insulating member (400) is yellow clay, a yellow clay ball (410) may be inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300). Alternatively, if the material of the insulating member (400) is vermiculite, a vermiculite ball may be inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad (300).

[0069] Here, the yellow clay ball (410) or the quartz ball can be manufactured so that an air layer and moisture are included inside, and the propagation of a flame generated from a battery cell (100) can be prevented by the air layer and moisture included in the yellow clay ball (410) or the quartz ball.

[0070] Referring to Fig. 6, the insulating member (400) may include a yellow clay plate (420) coated with fire-resistant paint. Here, a plurality of yellow clay plates (420) may be provided, and a plurality of yellow clay plates (420) may be arranged vertically within the flame suppression pad (300). The number of yellow clay plates (420) may vary, and the arrangement of the yellow clay plates (420) may also vary.

[0071] In addition, the fire-resistant yellow clay plate (420) has the effect of preventing the spread of flames.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 7, the surface of the flame suppression pad (300) may include a yellow clay coating portion (430) coated with yellow clay. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the yellow clay coating portion (430) may be formed on the entire outer surface and inner surface of the flame suppression pad (300). Alternatively, the yellow clay coating portion (430) may be formed only on the outer surface of the flame suppression pad (300), or the yellow clay coating portion (430) may be formed only on the inner surface of the flame suppression pad (300).

[0073] In this way, the flame generated in one battery cell (100) can be prevented from spreading to another neighboring battery cell (100) or another battery module (10) by the configuration according to each embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0074] In addition, it is possible to prevent thermal runaway phenomenon by preventing a chain reaction of flames due to flame propagation.

[0075] Meanwhile, the battery pack (20) described later may include a pack case (21), and the pack case (21) may include an upper pack case (22), and a preset space may be formed between the upper pack case (22) and the upper module case (210).

[0076] And, the flame generated from any battery cell (100) can be discharged in a preset direction through the space between the upper pack case (22) and the upper module case (210).

[0077] Accordingly, the battery module (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention has the effect of enabling directional venting that can discharge flames in the direction intended by the designer.

[0078] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a battery pack including a battery module according to each embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 8, a battery pack (20) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery modules (10) according to each embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0080] In addition, the battery pack (20) may further include a pack case (21) for storing the battery module (10) and various devices for controlling charging and discharging of the battery cells (100) included in the battery module (10), such as a BMS, a current sensor, a fuse, etc.

[0081] Here, the pack case (21) houses a battery module (10) in which a plurality of battery cells (100) are housed. The pack case (21) may be configured to include, for example, an upper frame, a side frame, a bulkhead frame, and a lower frame.

[0082] And, it may include a control module configured to control charging and discharging of the battery cell (100). Such a control module may include, for example, a battery management system (BMS) and a battery disconnect unit.

[0083] FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining a vehicle including the battery pack of FIG. 8.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 9, a vehicle (30) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery packs (20) according to each embodiment of the present invention described above. Here, the battery pack (20) may include one or more battery modules (10) according to each embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0085] Alternatively, a vehicle (30) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a battery module (10) according to each embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0086] Here, the vehicle (30) may include various types of vehicles that are designed to use electricity, such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles.

[0087] Meanwhile, in another embodiment, the battery pack (20) may include a plurality of battery cells (100) without a module case (200) of a battery module (10), a pack case (21) in which the plurality of battery cells (100) are stored, and a flame suppression pad (300) disposed between the plurality of battery cells (100) inside the pack case (21).

[0088] Here, the flame suppression pad (300) is coated with an insulating material (400) or configured to include an insulating material (400) inside.

[0089] However, when a plurality of battery cells (100) are directly stored in a pack case (21) without a module case (200) of a battery module (10), and a flame suppression pad (300) according to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged between the plurality of battery cells (100) inside the pack case (21), the function of the pack case (21) is basically similar to that of the module case (200), and the function, action, and effect of the flame suppression pad (300) are also common, so the specific description of the battery cells (100), the pack case (21), and the flame suppression pad (300) are replaced with the description described above.

[0090] And, when the module case (200) of the battery module (10) is removed, the battery cell (100) can be directly stored in the pack case (21) of the battery pack (20).

[0091] Here, a cell cover may be provided to support the battery cell (100) so that the battery cell (100) can be directly stored in the pack case (21). The cell cover may have various shapes, and for example, may be configured in an 'n' shape, a 'u' shape, or a 'ㄷ' shape surrounding three sides of at least one battery cell (100). However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0092] According to this method, more battery cells (100) can be stored in the space previously occupied by the module case (200) of the battery module (10) within the battery pack (20), thereby increasing space efficiency and improving battery capacity.

[0093] Meanwhile, a vehicle (30) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery packs (20) in which battery cells (100) are directly stored in a pack case (21) without the module case (200) of the battery module (10) described above.

[0094] Here, the vehicle (30) may include various types of vehicles that are designed to use electricity, such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles.

[0095] In this specification, when terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right are used, these terms are only for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer.

[0096] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and variations within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims to be described below. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above should be considered from an illustrative rather than a restrictive perspective. In other words, the true scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is set forth in the claims, and all differences within the scope of equivalents thereof should be construed as being included in the present invention.

[0097] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack, and an automobile, and is particularly applicable to industries related to secondary batteries.

Claims

1. Multiple battery cells; A module case in which the plurality of battery cells are stored; and It includes a flame suppression pad arranged between a plurality of battery cells inside the above module case, A battery module characterized in that the above flame suppression pad is coated with an insulating material or has an insulating material included therein.

2. In paragraph 1, A battery module characterized in that the above insulating material contains an air layer or moisture and is inserted inside the flame suppression pad.

3. In paragraph 2, A battery module characterized in that the above insulating member is manufactured in a circular or polygonal shape and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad.

4. In paragraph 1, The above insulating material is plural, A battery module characterized in that the plurality of insulating members are distributed throughout the entire inside of the flame suppression pad.

5. In paragraph 4, A battery module characterized in that the plurality of insulating members are arranged in a distributed manner so as to have a preset interval.

6. In paragraph 1, A battery module characterized in that the above insulating material is made of yellow clay.

7. In paragraph 6, A battery module characterized in that the above insulating member is a ball-shaped loess ball made of loess and inserted into the inside of the flame suppression pad.

8. In paragraph 7, A battery module characterized in that the above-mentioned yellow clay ball is manufactured so that an air layer and moisture are included together inside.

9. In paragraph 6, A battery module characterized in that the surface of the flame suppression pad includes a yellow clay coating portion coated with the yellow clay.

10. In paragraph 1, A battery module characterized in that the above insulating material is made of vermiculite.

11. In paragraph 1, A battery module characterized in that the surface of the flame suppression pad is coated with the vermiculite.

12. In paragraph 1, A battery module characterized in that the above insulating member includes a yellow clay plate coated with fire-resistant paint.

13. In paragraph 12, The above yellow clay plates are provided in multiples, A battery module characterized in that a plurality of the above yellow clay plates are arranged vertically inside the above flame suppression pad.

14. A battery pack comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A vehicle comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

16. Multiple battery cells; A pack case in which the plurality of battery cells are stored; and It includes a flame suppression pad placed between a plurality of battery cells inside the pack case, A battery pack characterized in that the above flame suppression pad is coated with an insulating material or has an insulating material included therein.

17. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to Article 16.

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