KR-20260065531-A - BATTERY ASSEMBLY AND BATTERY PACK INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

A battery assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of battery cells; and a cell frame in which the battery cells are housed. The cell frame includes an inlet port and an outlet port through which a refrigerant circulating inside the cell frame, which is in direct contact with the battery cells, is introduced and discharged. A distribution mechanism for dividing the refrigerant into a plurality of cooling channels is provided at least one of the inlet port or the outlet port.

Inventors

• 정민용
• 최범
• 최승빈

Assignees

• 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251027

Priority Date

20241101

Claims (16)

1. Multiple battery cells; and It includes a cell frame in which the above battery cells are housed, The cell frame includes an inlet port and an outlet port through which a refrigerant circulating inside the cell frame is introduced and discharged while in direct contact with the battery cells. A battery assembly having a distribution mechanism for dividing the refrigerant into a plurality of cooling channels provided at least one of the inlet port or the outlet port.
2. In paragraph 1, The above distribution mechanism is a battery assembly including a plurality of distribution holes.
3. In paragraph 1, The above distribution mechanism is a battery assembly comprising a partition wall having a plurality of distribution holes formed therein.
4. In paragraph 1, The above distribution mechanism includes a plurality of distribution holes corresponding to the cooling channel, and The above distribution hole is a battery assembly having a shape that is square, circular, semicircular, or a combination of a square and a semicircle.
5. In paragraph 1, The above battery cells are arranged to have multiple rows, and A battery assembly in which any one of the above cooling channels is arranged to correspond to any one of the rows of the above battery cells.
6. In paragraph 5, The center of the above cooling channel is a battery assembly located within the range of the width of the battery cells corresponding to the cooling channel.
7. In paragraph 1, A battery assembly comprising: an inlet distribution mechanism provided near the inlet port among the inlet port and the outlet port; and an outlet distribution mechanism provided near the outlet port among the inlet port and the outlet port.
8. In Paragraph 7, The above inlet distribution mechanism is located between the inlet port and the battery cells, and The above outlet distribution mechanism is a battery assembly located between the outlet port and the battery cells.
9. In Paragraph 7, Each of the above-mentioned inlet distribution mechanism and the above-mentioned outlet distribution mechanism includes distribution holes, and A battery assembly in which the distribution hole formed in the inlet distribution mechanism has a larger opening area than the distribution hole formed in the outlet distribution mechanism.
10. In Paragraph 9, A battery assembly in which the opening area of the distribution hole formed in the inlet distribution mechanism is 250% or more and 350% or less of the opening area of the distribution hole formed in the outlet distribution mechanism.
11. In paragraph 1, The above distribution mechanism includes an inlet distribution mechanism provided near the inlet port among the inlet port and the outlet port, and A distribution hole is formed in the above-mentioned inlet distribution mechanism, and A battery assembly in which the opening area of the distribution hole formed in the inlet distribution mechanism is equal to or smaller than the opening area of the inlet port.
12. In Paragraph 11, A battery assembly in which the opening area of the distribution hole formed in the inlet distribution mechanism is 70% or more and 100% or less compared to the opening area of the inlet port.
13. In paragraph 1, The above battery cells are a battery assembly in which they are fitted inside the cell frame.
14. In paragraph 1, The above refrigerant is insulating oil or coolant in a battery assembly.
15. In paragraph 1, A battery assembly in which the above battery cells are housed in the cell frame and are mounted directly to a vehicle or chassis.
16. At least one battery assembly according to claim 1; A pack frame housing at least one of the above-mentioned battery assemblies and having one side open; and A battery pack comprising a pack cover covering an open side of the pack frame.

Description

Battery assembly and battery pack including the same The present invention relates to a battery assembly and a battery pack including the same, and more specifically, to an immersion cooling type battery assembly and a battery pack including the same. Secondary batteries, which have high applicability across product groups and electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by electric power sources. These secondary batteries are widely used as an energy source for enhancing eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, not only because of the primary advantage of being able to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels, but also because they do not generate any by-products from energy use. Types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. The operating voltage of these unit secondary battery cells, that is, unit battery cells, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack may be formed by connecting multiple battery cells in series. Additionally, a battery pack may be formed by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel depending on the charge/discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Accordingly, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be set in various ways depending on the required output voltage or charge/discharge capacity. Meanwhile, when configuring a battery pack by connecting multiple battery cells in series or parallel, it is common to first form a battery module by creating a battery cell assembly containing multiple battery cells and housing it in a module case, and then configuring a battery pack by assembling one or more of these battery modules and adding other components, or by arranging multiple battery cells within a pack frame and adding other components. Since these battery cells consist of rechargeable secondary batteries, such high-output, high-capacity secondary batteries generate a significant amount of heat during the charging and discharging process. In this case, the heat emitted from multiple battery cells is aggregated within a confined space, causing the temperature to rise rapidly and severely. In other words, while battery packs containing multiple cells can achieve high output, it is not easy to dissipate the heat generated by the cells during charging and discharging. If heat dissipation from the battery cells is not properly carried out, the cells degrade rapidly, shortening their lifespan and increasing the risk of explosion or ignition. Furthermore, automotive battery packs are frequently exposed to direct sunlight and may be subjected to high-temperature conditions, such as during the summer or in desert regions. Additionally, because multiple battery cells are densely packed to extend a vehicle's driving range, flames or heat generated in a single battery cell can easily spread to neighboring cells, ultimately leading to the ignition or explosion of the battery pack itself. In conventional battery modules, bottom cooling or side cooling methods have been used, in which a heat sink is mounted on the module case of the battery module to cool it. However, in the case of battery modules using this cooling method, heat generated from the battery cells is transferred to a heat sink on one side of the module case for cooling, making it difficult to establish a heat transfer path to the other side of the module case. Consequently, there are limitations, such as intensified temperature differences between one end and the other of the battery cell assembly, or unsatisfactory overall cooling efficiency. If these temperature differences are not resolved, issues regarding the safety and durability of the battery module arise. Poor cooling efficiency can accelerate the degradation of battery cells or lead to the spread of thermal runaway if a rapid response is not possible when it occurs in some cells. This can result in disasters such as ignition and explosion of the battery module or the battery pack containing it, causing not only property damage but also safety issues. To solve this problem, it has been proposed to use a method of directly cooling the battery cells by filling the inside of the battery pack with a coolant, such as cooling water or insulating oil, without relying on bottom cooling or side cooling. In other words, to effectively cool high-capacity battery packs, an immersion cooling method is used in which the coolant directly cools the battery cells inside the battery pack. In the case of such immersion cooling methods, the battery assembly must be equipped with an inlet port for the inflow of refrigerant and an outlet port for the outflow of refrigerant to facilitate refrigerant circulation. However, as battery assemblies and battery packs