JP-7856750-B2 - Battery packs and automobiles containing them

JP7856750B2JP 7856750 B2JP7856750 B2JP 7856750B2JP-7856750-B2

Inventors

スン－ファン・ジャン
ジュン－ヨブ・ソン

Assignees

エルジーエナジーソリューションリミテッド

Dates

Publication Date: 20260511
Application Date: 20230502
Priority Date: 20220516

Claims (13)

Battery module and A pack housing having a module housing section for housing the battery module, and an opening/closing member configured to discharge vent gas and/or flames caused by thermal runaway of the battery module to the outside of the module housing section, A battery pack including, The end of the opening/closing member is configured to contact the pack housing when the battery module experiences thermal runaway. The aforementioned pack housing is A side frame that constitutes the side surface of the pack housing and is positioned at least partially opposite to the opening/closing member, wherein the end of the opening/closing member abuts against the pack housing when the battery module experiences thermal runaway, A flow path is provided between the module housing and the side frame, and is configured to communicate with the module housing through a flow hole formed by the opening of the opening/closing member when the battery module experiences thermal runaway, The side frame is provided with an outlet configured to communicate with the flow path and discharge the vent gas and/or flame to the outside of the pack housing, Includes, A battery pack in which, in the event of thermal runaway of the battery module, the opening/closing member prevents vent gas and/or flames from flowing into the area opposite to the exhaust port within the flow path, with reference to the portion where the end of the opening/closing member abuts against the side frame .
The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the opening/closing member is configured to open at an acute angle to the flow hole when the battery module experiences thermal runaway.
The battery pack according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the discharge port is located in the side frame at a position after the vent gas or flame flowing inside the flow path has been bent once or more.
Multiple battery modules are provided, and multiple module housing sections are provided. The battery modules are each housed in a plurality of module housings, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of module housings are configured to be sealed from one another by partition walls.
The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the partition wall is provided with opening and closing members corresponding to each module housing section.
Battery module and A pack housing having a module housing section for housing the battery module, and an opening/closing member configured to discharge vent gas and/or flames caused by thermal runaway of the battery module to the outside of the module housing section, A battery pack including, The aforementioned pack housing is A side frame that forms the side of the pack housing and is positioned at least partially opposite the opening/closing member, A flow path is provided between the module housing and the side frame, and is configured to communicate with the module housing through a flow hole formed by the opening of the opening/closing member when the battery module experiences thermal runaway, The side frame is provided with an outlet configured to communicate with the flow path and discharge the vent gas and/or flame to the outside of the pack housing, Includes, Multiple battery modules are provided, and multiple module housing sections are provided. The battery modules are each housed in a plurality of module housings, Multiple module housings are configured to be sealed off from one another by partition walls. The partition wall is provided with opening and closing members corresponding to each module housing section. Each of the aforementioned opening and closing members is configured to open at an acute angle to the flow hole when a plurality of the battery modules experience thermal runaway, A battery pack in which at least some of the opening and closing members are configured such that the opening angle decreases as they approach the discharge port.
The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the end of the opening/closing member located furthest from the outlet is configured to contact the side frame when a plurality of the battery modules experience thermal runaway.
Battery module and A pack housing having a module housing section for housing the battery module, and an opening/closing member configured to discharge vent gas and/or flames caused by thermal runaway of the battery module to the outside of the module housing section, A battery pack including, The aforementioned pack housing is A side frame that forms the side of the pack housing and is positioned at least partially opposite the opening/closing member, A flow path is provided between the module housing and the side frame, and is configured to communicate with the module housing through a flow hole formed by the opening of the opening/closing member when the battery module experiences thermal runaway, The side frame is provided with an outlet configured to communicate with the flow path and discharge the vent gas and/or flame to the outside of the pack housing, Includes, Multiple battery modules are provided, and multiple module housing sections are provided. The battery modules are each housed in a plurality of module housings, Multiple module housings are configured to be sealed off from one another by partition walls. The partition wall is provided with opening and closing members corresponding to each module housing section. A battery pack in which at least some of the opening and closing members are configured to become shorter in length as they approach the discharge port.
The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein each of the opening and closing members is provided with a blocking member configured to block the flame on the outward-facing side surface of the module housing.
The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide member provided in the flow path at a corner of the side frame and configured to guide the vent gas and/or flame toward the exhaust port.
The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a mesh member provided at the outlet, configured to filter the flame and allow the vent gas to pass through.
An automobile comprising at least one battery pack as described in claim 1.
The module housing is provided with an opening that allows vent gas and/or flames to be discharged to the outside of the module housing in the event of thermal runaway of the battery module. The opening/closing member is provided so as to be able to open and close the opening portion of the module housing, Except in the case of thermal runaway of the battery module, the opening/closing member closes the planned opening of the module housing. The opening/closing member opens the planned opening of the module housing as a flow hole when the battery module experiences thermal runaway. The battery pack according to claim 1.

Description

This invention relates to a battery pack and an automobile including the same, and more particularly, to a battery pack and an automobile including the same configured to ensure structural stability even when thermal events occur. This application claims priority under Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0059601, filed on 16 May 2022, and all information disclosed in the specification and drawings of said application is incorporated herein by reference. In recent years, demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has grown rapidly. Furthermore, as development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites intensifies, research into high-performance rechargeable batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging is becoming increasingly active. Currently, commercially available rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries are gaining attention due to their advantages over nickel-based batteries, such as virtually no memory effect, allowing for flexible charging and discharging, extremely low self-discharge rates, and high energy density. Such lithium secondary batteries primarily use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive electrode active material and negative electrode active material, respectively. Furthermore, a lithium secondary battery comprises a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with these positive and negative electrode active materials, an electrode assembly in which the positive and negative electrode plates are arranged with a separator in between, and an outer casing material in which the electrode assembly is sealed together with an electrolyte. On the other hand, lithium-ion secondary batteries can be classified into two types based on the shape of the battery case: can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in an aluminum laminate sheet pouch. Furthermore, can-type secondary batteries can be classified into cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries based on the shape of the metal can. Here, the pouch of a pouch-type secondary battery is broadly divided into a lower sheet and an upper sheet that covers the lower sheet. The pouch contains an electrode assembly formed by laminating and winding a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. After containing the electrode assembly, the edges of the upper and lower sheets are sealed by heat fusion or other means. Furthermore, electrode tabs drawn from each electrode are connected to electrode leads, and an insulating film may be added to the portion of the electrode lead that contacts the sealed portion. Thus, pouch-type rechargeable batteries can be flexibly adapted to various forms. Furthermore, pouch-type rechargeable batteries have the advantage of achieving the same capacity in a smaller volume and mass. Such lithium-ion secondary batteries are constructed by stacking or arranging multiple battery cells, either individually or mounted in cartridges, to create a densely packed structure that provides high voltage and high current. These are then electrically connected and used as battery modules or battery packs. In such battery pack configurations, one of the most important issues is safety. In particular, if a thermal event occurs in the battery module, high-temperature and high-pressure vent gas may be generated inside the module. If this vent gas comes into contact with oxygen, there is a risk of flames forming inside or outside the battery module. Furthermore, if a thermal event occurs in any one of the multiple battery modules included in a battery pack, it is necessary to suppress the propagation of such thermal events to other battery modules. If thermal propagation between battery modules is not properly suppressed, this could lead to thermal events in other battery modules within the battery pack, potentially causing larger problems such as battery pack fire or explosion. Moreover, battery pack fire or explosion can cause significant damage to people and property in the surrounding area. Therefore, such battery packs require a configuration that can appropriately control the aforementioned thermal events. This figure shows a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the detailed structure of the battery pack.This figure shows the battery module installed in the battery pack shown in Figure 2.This is an enlarged view of section A in Figure 2.Figure 4 shows the state in which the opening/closing member is open.This figure shows an example of vent gas or flames being emitted during thermal runaway of a battery module.This figure shows an example of vent gas or flames being emitted during therma