Secondary battery charging / discharging device and control method therefor

Abstract

A secondary battery charging / discharging device according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a cabinet; a tray disposed in the cabinet and having a plurality of battery cells loaded thereon; a fan installed on a wall surface of the cabinet and configured to introduce air into the cabinet from the outside; a driving part configured to move the fan so as to align the fan with the tray; and a heat exchange part disposed adjacent to the fan and configured to change the temperature of air introduced into the cabinet by the fan.

Description

Secondary battery charging and discharging device and control method thereof

[0001] Cross-citation with related application(s)

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0192889 filed on December 20, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the document of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein as part of this specification.

[0003] The present invention relates to a secondary battery charging and discharging device and a method for controlling the same, and more specifically, to a secondary battery charging and discharging device including a movable fan and a heat exchanger and a method for controlling the same.

[0004] In modern society, as the use of portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, camcorders, and digital cameras, as well as energy storage systems (ESS), has become commonplace, the development of technologies in related fields is becoming active. Furthermore, rechargeable secondary batteries are being utilized as power sources for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs) as a solution to address air pollution caused by conventional gasoline vehicles using fossil fuels; consequently, the need for the development of secondary batteries is increasing.

[0005] Currently commercialized rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries are receiving the most attention due to their advantages of free charging and discharging, low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0006] These lithium secondary batteries primarily use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative active materials, respectively. The lithium secondary battery comprises an electrode assembly in which a positive plate and a negative plate, each coated with the positive and negative active materials, are arranged with a separator in between, and an outer casing, namely a battery case, that seals and houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0007] Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified according to the shape of the casing into cylindrical secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in a cylindrical metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in a pouch made of aluminum laminate sheets. Among these, cylindrical secondary batteries have the advantage of relatively high capacity and structural stability.

[0008] Meanwhile, the performance of the secondary battery can be evaluated and defects detected through a charging and discharging process after the assembly process. At this time, the charging and discharging process of the secondary battery can be performed through a charging and discharging device that includes probe pins to which current and voltage are applied. The charging and discharging device of the secondary battery may include a cabinet with an internal space, and trays loaded with multiple battery cells may be arranged in multiple layers within the internal space of the cabinet.

[0009] During the charging and discharging process of secondary batteries, heat can be generated due to various factors, such as the contact resistance between the probe pins and the battery cells. To cool this generated heat, a fan can be used to circulate air toward the battery cells. However, if the position of the tray changes due to factors such as the height of the battery cells, air may not be delivered smoothly from the fan to the cells, preventing effective cooling. Furthermore, temperature variations between the cells can occur, leading to a degradation in cell performance. Therefore, a charging and discharging structure is required that can effectively cool the battery cells and mitigate temperature differences between them to prevent performance degradation.

[0010] The present invention aims to configure a fan included in a secondary battery charging and discharging device to be movable and to place a heat exchanger at the fan's outlet to effectively cool the battery cells and improve the temperature difference between the battery cells, thereby preventing performance degradation of the battery cells.

[0011] However, the problems that the embodiments of the present invention aim to solve are not limited to the problems described above and can be expanded in various ways within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention.

[0012] A secondary battery charging and discharging device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a cabinet; a tray disposed inside the cabinet and having a plurality of battery cells loaded thereon; a fan installed on a wall of the cabinet to draw air from the outside of the cabinet into the interior; a driving unit for moving the fan so that the positions of the tray and the fan are aligned; and a heat exchanger disposed adjacent to the fan to change the temperature of the air drawn from the fan into the interior of the cabinet.

[0013] There are multiple trays and fans, and the multiple trays are arranged in multiple layers along the height direction of the cabinet, and the multiple fans are installed on the side walls of the cabinet and can move along the height direction of the cabinet.

[0014] Based on the direction from the inlet to the outlet of each of the plurality of fans, each of the plurality of fans can be positionally aligned with each of the plurality of trays.

[0015] In the cabinet above, a plurality of support plates arranged in multiple layers are formed, and each of the plurality of trays can be seated on each of the plurality of support plates.

[0016] A door is formed on at least a part of the side wall of the cabinet, and the plurality of fans can be installed on the door.

[0017] The device may further include a sensing unit comprising at least one of a position sensor that detects the position of the tray and the fan; and a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the air flowing into the fan from outside the cabinet.

[0018] The above position sensor can detect the position of the tray and the fan along the height direction of the cabinet.

[0019] The above-mentioned sensing unit may further include a control unit that controls at least one of the driving unit and the heat exchange unit based on the information obtained by the sensing unit.

[0020] The control unit can align the positions of the tray and the fan by controlling the drive unit so that the fan moves along the height direction of the cabinet when the positions of the tray and the fan are not aligned along the direction from the inlet to the outlet of the fan.

[0021] The control unit can compare the temperature measured by the temperature sensor with a set value, and if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the set value, control the heat exchanger so that the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet is heated, and if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the set value, control the heat exchanger so that the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet is cooled.

[0022] The above tray may include a lower plate on which the plurality of battery cells are seated; a side plate covering the sides of the plurality of battery cells; and a flow hole formed in the side plate.

[0023] The above driving unit can move the fan so that the fan is positionally aligned with the flow hole.

[0024] The heat exchanger may be movable by the drive unit so as to be positioned adjacent to the outlet of the fan.

[0025] The above heat exchanger may include a thermocouple.

[0026] The plurality of battery cells are formed in a circular cylinder shape, and the plurality of battery cells can be loaded on the tray along a direction perpendicular to the height direction of the cabinet.

[0027] A control method for a secondary battery charging and discharging device according to another embodiment of the present invention may include: a loading step of loading a plurality of battery cells onto a tray disposed inside a cabinet; a position detection step of detecting the position of a fan that introduces air from the outside of the cabinet into the interior and the position of the tray; a position alignment step of moving the fan to align the positions of the tray and the fan; a temperature measurement step of measuring the temperature of the air introduced from the outside of the cabinet to the fan; and a temperature control step of controlling the temperature of the air introduced from the fan into the interior of the cabinet using a heat exchanger installed adjacent to the fan.

[0028] The position detection step is a step of detecting the positions of the tray and the fan along the height direction of the cabinet, and the position alignment step may be a step of moving the fan along the height direction of the cabinet so that the positions of the tray and the fan are aligned along the direction from the inlet to the outlet of the fan.

[0029] The above temperature control step may be a step of heating the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet using the heat exchanger when the temperature measured in the above temperature measurement step is less than the set value, and cooling the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet using the heat exchanger when the temperature measured in the above temperature measurement step is greater than the set value.

[0030] According to embodiments of the present invention, since the fan is configured to be movable and a heat exchanger is disposed at the outlet of the fan, the battery cells can be effectively cooled, and the temperature difference between battery cells disposed on a single tray as well as between battery cells disposed on different layers can be improved, thereby preventing the performance of the battery cells from deteriorating.

[0031] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a secondary battery charging and discharging device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along II-II' of Figure 1.

[0034] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of section A of Figure 2.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the structure of a tray placed on a support plate of a cabinet according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of a heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the control structure of a secondary battery charging and discharging device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the operating state of a secondary battery charging and discharging device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operating state of a charging and discharging device according to a comparative example of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the results of an air flow simulation when the positions of the fan and the tray are aligned according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 10 is a diagram showing the air flow simulation results when the positions of the fan and the tray are not aligned according to the comparative example.

[0042] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a control method for a secondary battery charging and discharging device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0044] To clearly explain the present invention, parts unrelated to the explanation have been omitted, and the same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0045] Furthermore, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are depicted arbitrarily for convenience of explanation, and thus the present invention is not necessarily limited to what is illustrated. Thicknesses have been enlarged in the drawings to clearly represent various layers and regions. Additionally, for convenience of explanation, the thickness of some layers and regions has been exaggerated in the drawings.

[0046] Furthermore, when a part such as a layer, membrane, region, or plate is said to be "on" or "on" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly above" the other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly above" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. Also, saying that a part is "on" or "on" a reference part means that it is located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean that it is located "on" or "on" facing the opposite direction of gravity.

[0047] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back may be used in this specification, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the location of the object or the position of the observer, as is obvious to those skilled in the art of this invention.

[0048] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is described as "including" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0049] Additionally, throughout the specification, "planar" means when the subject part is viewed from above, and "cross-sectional" means when the cross-section obtained by vertically cutting the subject part is viewed from the side.

[0050] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a secondary battery charging / discharging device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along II-II' of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of section A of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of a tray (130) placed on a support plate (125) of a cabinet (120) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a heat exchanger (170) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the control structure of a secondary battery charging / discharging device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, a secondary battery charging and discharging device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a cabinet (120), a tray (130) on which a battery cell (110) is loaded, a fan (140) that flows air from the outside to the inside of the cabinet (120), a driving unit (150) that moves the fan (140), a sensing unit (160) that includes a plurality of sensors (161, 162), a heat exchange unit (170) that changes the temperature of the air flowing by the fan (140), and a control unit (180) that controls the driving unit (150) and the heat exchange unit (170).

[0052] The cabinet (120) may include a bottom wall (122), a top wall (121), a side wall (123), and a door (124). The cabinet (120) may have a rectangular shape that extends along one direction (e.g., the z-axis direction in FIG. 1). The door (124) may be formed on at least a portion of any one of the side walls (123) of the cabinet (120). The cabinet (120) may include an internal space formed by the top wall (121), the bottom wall (122), the side wall (123), and the door (124). A tray (130) loaded with battery cells (110) and a heat exchanger (170) may be disposed in the internal space of the cabinet (120). A support plate (125) supporting the tray (130) may be formed inside the cabinet (120). A support plate (125) may be fixedly formed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). There may be multiple support plates (125). Multiple support plates (125) may be arranged in multiple layers along the height direction of the cabinet (120). Here, the height direction of the cabinet (120) is the direction from the lower wall (122) of the cabinet (120) toward the upper wall (121), and refers to the z-axis direction in the drawing. A tray (130) may be placed on the support plate (125). A fan (140) may be installed on the wall surfaces (121, 122, 123) of the cabinet (120). A fan (140) may be installed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). As described above, a door (124) may be formed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120), in which case a fan (140) may be installed on the door (124) of the cabinet (120). A driving unit (150) may be installed on the wall surface (121, 122, 123) of the cabinet (120). A driving unit (150) may be installed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). As described above, a door (124) may be formed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120), in which case a driving unit (150) may be installed on the door (124) of the cabinet (120).

[0053] A tray (130) may be placed inside a cabinet (120). A tray (130) may be placed on a support plate (125) of the cabinet (120). There may be multiple trays (130). Multiple trays (130) may be arranged in multiple layers along the height direction of the cabinet (120). Multiple trays (130) may be placed on each of the multiple support plates (125) arranged in multiple layers along the height direction of the cabinet (120). Battery cells (110) may be loaded on the tray (130). Multiple battery cells (110) may be loaded on a single tray (130). The tray (130) may include a bottom plate (131) and a side plate (132). A battery cell (110) may be placed on the bottom plate (131) of the tray (130) so that one side of the battery cell (110) contacts it. A battery cell (110) may be placed on the lower plate (131) of the tray (130) so that the lower side of the battery cell (110) comes into contact with it. The side plate (132) of the tray (130) may cover the side of the battery cell (110). The structure may be such that the lower side and the side of the battery cell (110) are wrapped by the lower plate (131) and the side plate (132) of the tray (130). A flow hole (133) may be formed in the side plate (132) of the tray (130). The flow hole (133) may have a shape that extends long along a direction perpendicular to the height direction of the cabinet (120) (the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction in the drawing). Air introduced from the outside to the inside of the cabinet (120) by the fan (140) may pass through the flow hole (133) and be delivered to the battery cell (110) loaded in the tray (130).

[0054] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4, for charging and discharging a battery cell (110), the upper part of the tray (130) may include a pin plate (135) having a probe pin (134) formed thereon, a sealing member (136) disposed on the upper part of the pin plate (135), and a printed circuit board (137) disposed on the upper part of the sealing member (136). The probe pin (134) may be electrically connected to the printed circuit board (137), and the probe pin (134) may be connected to the upper side of the battery cell (110) so that the battery cell (110) can be charged and discharged.

[0055] The battery cell (110) may be formed in a circular cylinder shape. There may be multiple battery cells (110). Multiple battery cells (110) may be loaded onto a tray (130). The battery cell (110) may be placed on a lower plate (131) such that one side contacts the lower plate (131) of the tray (130). The battery cell (110) may be placed on a lower plate (131) such that the lower side contacts the lower plate (131) of the tray (130). The side of the battery cell (110) placed on the lower plate (131) of the tray (130) may be covered by a side plate (132) of the tray (130). A probe pin (134) may be connected to the other side of the battery cell (110). A probe pin (134) may be connected to the upper side of the battery cell (110). On one tray (130), multiple battery cells (110) can be loaded along a direction perpendicular to the height direction of the cabinet (120) (x-axis and y-axis directions in the drawing).

[0056] A fan (140) may be installed in the cabinet (120) to allow air to flow from the outside of the cabinet (120) to the inside. The fan (140) may be installed on at least one of the walls (121, 122, 123) of the cabinet (120). The fan (140) may be installed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). A door (124) may be formed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120), in which case the fan (140) may be installed on the door (124) of the cabinet (120) as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. There may be multiple fans (140). Multiple fans (140) may be arranged along the height direction of the cabinet (120) on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). The number of fans (140) may be the same as the number of trays (130). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, if six support plates (125) are formed in the cabinet (120) and six trays (130) are seated on each of the support plates (125), there may be six fans (140). The fans (140) can draw air from the outside of the cabinet (120) into the inside and deliver the air in a direction toward the trays (130). The fans (140) can be moved by a drive unit (150). The fans (140) can move along the height direction of the cabinet (120) on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120).

[0057] The fan (140) can be positioned with the tray (130). The fan (140) can be positioned with the flow hole (133) formed in the side plate (132) of the tray (130). More specifically, the fan (140) can be positioned with the flow hole (133) along the direction from the inlet to the outlet (the -y-axis direction in the drawing) so as to deliver air to the flow hole (133) at the same level (height) as the flow hole (133). Here, the inlet and outlet of the fan (140) refer to the inlet and outlet of the fan (140) based on the direction from the outside to the inside of the cabinet (120). That is, the inlet of the fan (140) refers to the outside of the cabinet (120) adjacent to the fan (140), and the outlet of the fan (140) refers to the inside of the cabinet (120) adjacent to the fan (140). By aligning the fan (140) with the flow hole (133) of the tray (130), air is smoothly delivered to the battery cells (110) loaded in the tray (130), so that the battery cells (110) can be effectively cooled and the performance of the battery cells (110) can be prevented due to temperature differences between the battery cells (110).

[0058] The drive unit (150) may be installed in the cabinet (120). The drive unit (150) may be installed on the wall surface (121, 122, 123) of the cabinet (120). The drive unit (150) may be installed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). If a door (124) is formed on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120), the drive unit (150) may be installed on the door (124) of the cabinet (120). The drive unit (150) may be connected to the fan (140) to move the fan (140). The drive unit (150) may move the fan (140) along the height direction of the cabinet (120) on the side wall (123) of the cabinet (120). The drive unit (150) may include a power transmission configuration such as a motor that provides power and a shaft or belt type connected to the fan (140). The drive unit (150) may be controlled by the control unit (180). Additionally, the drive unit (150) may be connected to the heat exchange unit (170) to move the heat exchange unit (170). In this case, the drive unit (150) may move the heat exchange unit (170) so that the heat exchange unit (170) is positioned adjacent to the outlet of the fan (140).

[0059] The sensing unit (160) may include a position sensor (161) that detects the position of the tray (130) and the fan (140). The sensing unit (160) may include a temperature sensor (162) that measures the temperature of the air flowing into the fan (140) from the outside of the cabinet (120) and / or the air flowing into the inside of the cabinet (120) from the fan (140). The sensing unit (160) may transmit the acquired information to the control unit (180).

[0060] There may be multiple position sensors (161). Multiple position sensors (161) may be installed on the tray (130) and the fan (140). The position sensors (161) can detect the position of the tray (130) and the fan (140). The position sensors (161) can detect the position of the tray (130) and the fan (140) along the height direction of the cabinet (120).

[0061] There may be multiple temperature sensors (162). Multiple temperature sensors (162) may be installed adjacent to the inlet and / or outlet of the fan (140). The temperature sensors (162) can measure the temperature of the air flowing into the fan (140) from outside the cabinet (120). The temperature sensors (162) can measure the temperature of the air flowing into the interior of the cabinet (120) from the fan (140).

[0062] The heat exchanger (170) may be positioned adjacent to the fan (140). The heat exchanger (170) may be installed to be located adjacent to the outlet of the fan (140). The heat exchanger (170) may change the temperature of the air flowing from the fan (140) into the interior of the cabinet (120). The heat exchanger (170) may include a thermocouple (171). For example, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the heat exchanger (170) may be structured such that a refrigerant heated or cooled by the thermocouple (171) circulates through a heat exchanger (172) via a pump (173). At this time, the air flowing into the interior of the cabinet (120) by the fan (140) may be heated or cooled as it passes through the heat exchanger (172). Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 5(b), the heat exchanger (170) may be structured such that a thermoelectric element (171) is in direct contact with a plurality of heat exchange fins (174) to heat or cool the heat exchange fins (174). At this time, air introduced into the interior of the cabinet (120) by the fan (140) may pass through the heat exchange fins (174) and be heated or cooled. However, the structure of the heat exchanger (170) is not limited to this.

[0063] There may be multiple heat exchangers (170). Multiple heat exchangers (170) may be installed adjacent to the outlets of each of the multiple fans (140). The heat exchangers (170) may be moved by a driving unit (150). The heat exchangers (170) may be moved by the driving unit (150) so as to be positioned adjacent to the outlets of the fans (140). The heat exchangers (170) may be moved by the driving unit (150) along the height direction of the cabinet (120) so as to be positioned at the same level (height) as the fans (140). The heat exchangers (170) may be controlled by a control unit (180).

[0064] The control unit (180) can control the driving unit (150) and the heat exchange unit (170). The control unit (180) can control the driving unit (150) and the heat exchange unit (170) based on information received from the sensing unit (160).

[0065] The control unit (180) can control the drive unit (150) so that the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned based on information received from the position sensor (161). Specifically, the position sensor (161) can detect the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) along the height direction of the cabinet (120). The position sensor (161) can transmit the acquired information to the control unit (180). Based on the information received from the position sensor (161), the control unit (180) can determine whether the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) along the height direction of the cabinet (120) are the same. In other words, the control unit (180) can determine whether the positions of the fan (140) and the tray (130) are aligned by positioning the fan (140) and the tray (130) at the same level along the height direction of the cabinet (120). If it is determined that the positions of the fan (140) and the tray (130) are not aligned, the control unit (180) can control the drive unit (150) to move the fan (140) so that the positions of the fan (140) and the tray (130) are aligned. At this time, the control unit (180) can control the drive unit (150) so that the fan (140) is aligned with the flow hole (133) of the tray (130). Accordingly, air introduced into the interior of the cabinet (120) by the fan (140) can pass through the flow hole (133) of the tray (130) and be smoothly delivered to the battery cell (110).

[0066] The control unit (180) can control the heat exchange unit (170) based on information received from the temperature sensor (162). Specifically, the temperature sensor (162) can measure the temperature of the air flowing into the fan (140) from outside the cabinet (120). The temperature sensor (162) can transmit the measured information to the control unit (180). The control unit (180) can compare the temperature of the air measured by the temperature sensor (162) with a set value. If the temperature of the air measured by the temperature sensor (162) is lower than the set value, the control unit (180) can control the heat exchange unit (170) so that the air flowing into the interior of the cabinet (120) from the fan (140) is heated. Conversely, if the temperature of the air measured by the temperature sensor (162) is greater than the set value, the control unit (180) can control the heat exchange unit (170) so that the air flowing from the fan (140) into the interior of the cabinet (120) is cooled. Accordingly, the temperature difference of the air flowing into the interior of the cabinet (120) from each of the plurality of fans (140) arranged along the height direction of the cabinet (120) can be reduced, and as a result, the temperature difference between the battery cells (110) loaded on the tray (130) arranged in multiple layers can be minimized, thereby preventing the performance degradation of the battery cells (110).

[0067] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the operating state of a secondary battery charging / discharging device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operating state of a charging / discharging device (10) according to a comparative example of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the air flow simulation results when the positions of the fan (140) and the tray (130) are aligned according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the air flow simulation results when the positions of the fan (14) and the tray (13) are not aligned according to a comparative example.

[0068] With reference to FIGS. 7 to 10, the operating principle and effect of a secondary battery charging and discharging device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

[0069] First, referring to FIG. 7, the secondary battery charging / discharging device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be aligned with the tray (130) by moving the fan (140) by the driving unit (150) not only in an initial state (see FIG. 7 (a)) where the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned, but also in cases where the position of the tray (130) changes depending on the height of the battery cell (110), etc. (see FIG. 7 (b)).

[0070] On the other hand, referring to FIG. 8, the charging / discharging device (10) according to the comparative example may also have the positions of the tray (13) and the fan (14) aligned in the initial state (see FIG. 8 (a)). However, since the position of the fan (14) is fixed in the charging / discharging device (10) according to the comparative example, the positions of the tray (13) and the fan (14) cannot be realigned when the position of the tray (13) changes depending on the height of the battery cell (11), etc. (see FIG. 8 (b)). Therefore, air flows in a state where the positions of the tray (13) and the fan (14) are misaligned.

[0071] In this regard, referring to FIG. 9, when the positions of the fan (140) and the tray (130) are aligned according to one embodiment of the present invention, it can be seen that air introduced into the interior of the cabinet (120) by the fan (140) flows smoothly through the tray (130).

[0072] On the other hand, referring to FIG. 10, if the position of the tray (13) changes according to the height of the battery cell (11) as in the comparative example and the position of the tray (13) and the fan (14) are not aligned, it can be seen that the air introduced by the fan (14) does not pass through the tray (13) smoothly and flows relatively unstably.

[0073] Consequently, as in the comparative example, if the positions of the tray (13) and the fan (14) are not aligned, it is difficult for the air introduced by the fan (14) to flow smoothly through the tray (13). On the other hand, even if the position of the tray (130) changes according to the height of the battery cell (110) as in the present invention, if the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned, the air introduced from the fan (140) can flow smoothly through the tray (130), thereby effectively cooling the battery cells (110), minimizing the temperature difference between the battery cells (110), and preventing the performance degradation of the battery cells (110).

[0074] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a control method for a secondary battery charging / discharging device (100) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 11, battery cells (110) can be loaded onto a tray (130) placed inside a cabinet (120) (S1110). A plurality of support plates (125) arranged in multiple layers along the height direction of the cabinet (120) may be formed in the cabinet (120). A tray (130) may be placed on each support plate (125). A plurality of battery cells (110) may be loaded onto each tray (130).

[0076] The sensing unit (160) can detect the position of the tray (130) and the fan (140) (S1120). The sensing unit (160) may include a plurality of position sensors (161). The position sensors (161) are installed on the tray (130) and the fan (140) to detect the position of the tray (130) and the fan (140). The position sensors (161) can detect the position of the tray (130) and the fan (140) along the height direction of the cabinet (120).

[0077] The control unit (180) can determine whether the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned (S1130). The control unit (180) can determine whether the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned based on information obtained by the position sensor (161). The control unit (180) can determine whether the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are the same along the height direction of the cabinet (120). That is, the control unit (180) can determine whether the tray (130) and the fan (140) are located at the same level (height) along the height direction of the cabinet (120). The control unit (180) can determine whether the positions of the flow hole (133) of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned.

[0078] If it is determined that the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are not aligned, the control unit (180) can control the drive unit (150) to move the fan (140) (S1140). The control unit (180) can use the drive unit (150) to move the fan (140) along the height direction of the cabinet (120). The control unit (180) can control the drive unit (150) so that the positions of the tray (130) and the fan (140) are aligned. The control unit (180) can control the drive unit (150) so that the tray (130) and the fan (140) are located at the same level (height).

[0079] The sensing unit (160) can measure the temperature of the air at the inlet of the fan (140) (S1150). The sensing unit (160) can measure the temperature of the air flowing into the fan (140) from outside the cabinet (120). The sensing unit (160) may include a temperature sensor (162). The temperature sensor (162) may be installed adjacent to the inlet of the fan (140). The temperature sensor (162) can measure the temperature of the air flowing into the fan (140) from outside the cabinet (120).

[0080] The control unit (180) can compare the temperature of the air at the inlet of the fan (140) with a set value (S1160). The control unit (180) can compare the temperature of the air measured by the temperature sensor (162) with a set value. The control unit (180) can compare the temperature of the air flowing into the fan (140) from outside the cabinet (120) with a set value.

[0081] The control unit (180) can control the heat exchange unit (170) to regulate the temperature of the air at the fan (140) outlet (S1170). The control unit (180) can regulate the temperature of the air flowing from the fan (140) into the interior of the cabinet (120) using the heat exchange unit (170) installed adjacent to the fan (140) outlet. Specifically, if the temperature of the air at the fan (140) inlet measured by the temperature sensor (162) is lower than a set value, the control unit (180) can control the heat exchange unit (170) so that the air at the fan (140) outlet is heated. Conversely, if the temperature of the air at the fan (140) inlet measured by the temperature sensor (162) is higher than a set value, the control unit (180) can control the heat exchange unit (170) so that the air at the fan (140) outlet is cooled.

[0082] Although the flowchart of the present disclosure describes each step as being executed sequentially, this is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of some embodiments of the present invention. In other words, a person skilled in the art to which some embodiments of the present invention pertain can apply various modifications and variations by changing the steps described in the flowchart or executing one or more of the steps in parallel, without departing from the essential characteristics of some embodiments of the present invention; therefore, the flowchart is not limited to a chronological order.

[0083] In this way, according to the present invention, the fan (140) is configured to be movable by the driving unit (150), so that the positions of the fan (140) and the tray (130) can be aligned even when the position of the tray (130) changes, so that air is smoothly delivered from the fan (140) to the tray (130) and effectively cools the battery cells (110) loaded on the tray (130). In addition, since a heat exchange unit (170) is disposed at the outlet of each fan (140) so that the temperature of the air flowing into the interior of the cabinet (120) by the fan (140) can be controlled, the temperature difference between the battery cells (110) loaded on the tray (130) arranged in multiple layers can be minimized, thereby preventing the performance of the battery cells (110) from deteriorating.

[0084] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention as defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0085]

[0086]

[0087] [Explanation of the symbol]

[0088] 100: Secondary battery charging and discharging device

[0089] 110: Battery cell

[0090] 120: Cabinet

[0091] 121, 122: Upper wall, Lower wall

[0092] 123: Sidewall

[0093] 124: Door

[0094] 125: Support plate

[0095] 130: Tray

[0096] 131, 132: Bottom plate, side plate

[0097] 133: Floating hole

[0098] 140: Fan

[0099] 150: Drive unit

[0100] 160: Sensing unit

[0101] 161: Position sensor

[0102] 162: Temperature sensor

[0103] 170: Heat exchange section

[0104] 171: Thermoelectric element

[0105] 180: Control unit

Claims

Cabinet; A tray disposed inside the cabinet and loaded with a plurality of battery cells; A fan installed on the wall of the cabinet to draw air from the outside of the cabinet into the inside; A driving unit for moving the fan so that the positions of the tray and the fan are aligned; and A heat exchanger positioned adjacent to the fan to change the temperature of the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet. A secondary battery charging and discharging device including In paragraph 1, There are multiple trays and fans mentioned above, and The above plurality of trays are arranged in multiple layers along the height direction of the cabinet, and The above plurality of fans are installed on the side wall of the cabinet and are a secondary battery charging and discharging device that can move along the height direction of the cabinet. In paragraph 2, Based on the direction from the entrance to the exit of each of the aforementioned plurality of fans, A secondary battery charging and discharging device in which each of the plurality of fans is positionally aligned with each of the plurality of trays. In paragraph 3, A plurality of support plates arranged in multiple layers are formed in the above cabinet, and Each of the above plurality of trays is a secondary battery charging and discharging device that is seated on each of the above plurality of support plates. In paragraph 2, A door is formed on at least a portion of the side wall of the cabinet, and The above plurality of fans are a secondary battery charging and discharging device installed in the door. In paragraph 1, A position sensor for detecting the position of the tray and fan; and A secondary battery charging and discharging device further comprising a sensing unit including at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of air flowing into the fan from the outside of the cabinet. In paragraph 6, The above position sensor is, A secondary battery charging and discharging device that detects the position of the tray and fan along the height direction of the cabinet. In Paragraph 7, A secondary battery charging and discharging device further comprising a control unit that controls at least one of the driving unit and the heat exchange unit based on information obtained by the sensing unit. In paragraph 8, The above control unit is, A secondary battery charging and discharging device that, when the positions of the tray and the fan are not aligned along the direction from the inlet to the outlet of the fan, controls the drive unit to move the fan along the height direction of the cabinet to align the positions of the tray and the fan. In paragraph 8, The above control unit is, Compare the temperature measured by the above temperature sensor with the set value, When the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the set value, the heat exchanger is controlled so that the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet is heated, and A secondary battery charging / discharging device that controls the heat exchanger so that the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet is cooled when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is greater than a set value. In paragraph 1, The above tray is, A lower plate on which the above plurality of battery cells are seated; Side plates covering the sides of the plurality of battery cells; and A secondary battery charging and discharging device including a flow hole formed in the above-mentioned side plate. In Paragraph 11, The above driving unit is, A secondary battery charging and discharging device that moves the fan so that the fan is positionally aligned with the flow hole. In paragraph 1, The above heat exchanger is, A secondary battery charging and discharging device movable by the driving unit so as to be positioned adjacent to the outlet of the fan. In paragraph 1, The above heat exchanger is a secondary battery charging and discharging device including a thermocouple. In paragraph 1, The above plurality of battery cells are formed in a circular cylinder shape, and A secondary battery charging and discharging device in which the plurality of battery cells are loaded on the tray along a direction perpendicular to the height direction of the cabinet. A loading step of loading multiple battery cells onto a tray placed inside a cabinet; A fan that introduces air from the outside of the cabinet into the inside, and a position detection step that detects the position of the tray; A position alignment step of moving the fan to align the positions of the tray and the fan; A temperature measuring step for measuring the temperature of air flowing into the fan from the outside of the cabinet; and A temperature control step that controls the temperature of the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet using a heat exchanger installed adjacent to the fan. A control method for a secondary battery charging and discharging device including In Paragraph 16, The above position detection step is a step of detecting the positions of the tray and the fan along the height direction of the cabinet, and A control method for a secondary battery charging and discharging device, wherein the above position alignment step is a step of moving the fan in the height direction of the cabinet so that the positions of the tray and the fan are aligned along the direction from the inlet to the outlet of the fan. In Paragraph 16, The above temperature control step is, If the temperature measured in the above temperature measurement step is lower than the set value, the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet is heated using the heat exchanger, and A control method for a secondary battery charging and discharging device, wherein if the temperature measured in the above temperature measurement step is greater than a set value, the air flowing from the fan into the interior of the cabinet is cooled using the above heat exchanger.

Images