KR-20260065468-A - Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of battery cells; a pack case accommodating the plurality of battery cells; a cooling channel provided on the inside of the pack case and filled with a cooling medium therein; a water supply hole configured to discharge the cooling medium from the cooling channel toward the battery cells; and a cooling plate having a protrusion configured to protrude toward the battery cells from the inner surface of the cooling plate to form the water supply hole.

Inventors

• 김수열

Assignees

• 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20250212

Priority Date

20241101

Claims (14)

1. Multiple battery cells; A pack case accommodating the above plurality of battery cells and A battery pack characterized by comprising a cooling plate having a cooling channel provided on the inner side of the pack case and filled with a cooling medium, a water supply hole configured to discharge the cooling medium from the cooling channel toward the battery cell side, and a protrusion configured to protrude toward the battery cell side from the inner surface of the cooling plate to form the water supply hole.
2. In paragraph 1, A battery pack characterized by the above-mentioned protrusion being configured to contact the battery cell.
3. In paragraph 1, A battery pack characterized in that the above-mentioned protrusion is configured such that the cross-sectional area of the above-mentioned water injection hole gradually decreases toward the battery cell side.
4. In paragraph 1, A battery pack characterized by further including a cover member configured to be coupled to the above-mentioned protrusion and to cover the above-mentioned water supply hole.
5. In paragraph 4, A battery pack characterized in that the above-described cover member is configured to open the above-described water supply hole when a thermal event occurs in the battery cell.
6. In paragraph 4, The above cover member is A sealing part configured to wrap around the end of the above-mentioned protrusion, and A battery pack characterized by having a cover portion configured to be coupled to the sealing portion and to cover the water supply hole.
7. In paragraph 1, It further includes a heat transfer material interposed between the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate, A battery pack characterized in that the length of the protrusion is configured to correspond to the thickness of the heat transfer material.
8. In Paragraph 7, A battery pack characterized by the above-mentioned protrusion being configured to prevent the heat transfer material from heading toward the water injection hole.
9. In paragraph 1, A battery pack characterized by further including a housing configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells grouped together.
10. In Paragraph 9, A battery pack characterized in that the above housing is configured to have an open top surface.
11. In Paragraph 10, A battery pack characterized by the above housing having a cooling hole configured to communicate with the above water supply hole on one side.
12. In Paragraph 11, A battery pack characterized in that the above-mentioned protrusion is interposed on the inner side of the cooling hole.
13. In Paragraph 9, A battery pack characterized in that the housing has a venting hole configured to discharge venting gas generated from the battery cell to the outside.
14. An automobile characterized by including a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

Description

Battery pack and vehicle including the same The present invention relates to a battery pack and an automobile including the same. Secondary batteries, which possess electrical characteristics such as high energy density and high applicability across product groups, are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electric sources. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for enhancing eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, not only for the primary advantage of drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels but also because they generate no by-products from energy use. Currently, widely used types of rechargeable batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. When high output voltage is required, multiple battery cells are connected in series to form a battery module or battery pack. Additionally, to increase charge/discharge capacity, multiple battery cells are connected in parallel to form a battery module or battery pack. When configuring a battery pack by connecting multiple battery cells in series or parallel, it is common practice to first construct a battery module containing at least one battery cell, and then use this at least one battery module to add other components to form a battery pack or battery rack. Alternatively, recently, battery packs in the form of a "Cell-to-Pack," in which multiple battery cells are directly housed in a pack housing without modularization, are also being manufactured. However, when multiple battery modules are contained within a battery pack in this manner, it can be vulnerable to thermal chain reactions between the modules. For example, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs within a single battery module, this runaway can propagate to other battery modules. If the propagation of thermal runaway between battery modules is not properly suppressed, an event originating in a specific module can trigger a chain reaction across multiple modules, potentially causing serious problems such as explosions or fires. However, when multiple battery modules are contained within a battery pack in this manner, it can be vulnerable to thermal chain reactions between the modules. For example, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs within a single battery module, this runaway can propagate to other battery modules. If the propagation of thermal runaway between battery modules is not properly suppressed, an event originating in a specific module can trigger a chain reaction across multiple modules, potentially causing serious problems such as explosions or fires. Therefore, in the event that an event such as thermal runaway occurs in a battery pack, there is a need to develop a structure capable of rapidly cooling the battery cells and/or battery modules in the event of thermal runaway in the battery module. The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 3 may be a drawing showing the cross-section I-I' of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention when a thermal event occurs. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 5 may be a drawing showing the cross-section II-II' of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a battery module included in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a battery module included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of a battery module included in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a case where a thermal event occurs in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the pr