KR-20260067782-A - BATTERY ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A battery assembly is disclosed. A battery assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a case having a top cover that provides an internal space; a plurality of battery cells located inside the case; a perimeter wall located between the plurality of battery cells and the top cover and providing an internal space; a temperature sensor located inside the perimeter wall; and a heat transfer member located between the plurality of battery cells and the top cover.

Inventors

• 이상준
• 강종모
• 권현수
• 노용환
• 박신영
• 서성원
• 안문열
• 황태원

Assignees

• 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20241106

Claims (10)

1. A case that provides internal space and is equipped with a top cover; A plurality of battery cells located inside the above case; A perimeter wall located between the plurality of battery cells and the top cover, providing an internal space; A temperature sensor located inside the above-mentioned perimeter wall; and, A battery assembly comprising a heat transfer member located between the plurality of battery cells and the top cover.
2. In Article 1, The above heat transfer member is, A battery assembly located on the outer side of the above-mentioned perimeter wall.
3. In Article 1, The above heat transfer member is, A battery assembly configured to surround the above-mentioned perimeter wall.
4. In Article 1, The above temperature sensor is, A battery assembly in contact with at least some of the plurality of battery cells.
5. In Article 1, The above top cover is, Battery assembly having an internal Euro.
6. In Article 1, The above perimeter wall is, A battery assembly in contact with the lower surface of the top cover.
7. In Article 1, The above perimeter wall is, A battery assembly formed integrally with the top cover.
8. In Article 1, The above perimeter wall is, A battery assembly in contact with at least some of the plurality of battery cells.
9. In Article 1, The above perimeter walls are provided in multiple numbers, and The above temperature sensor is, A plurality of battery assemblies provided to correspond one-to-one with the plurality of perimeter walls.
10. An automobile comprising a battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Description

Battery Assembly The present invention relates to a battery assembly. As the demand for portable electronic products such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and smartwatches increases significantly and electric vehicles become increasingly widespread, research on batteries installed in them, particularly secondary batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging, is actively underway. Currently commercialized rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries are gaining attention for their advantages, such as the ability to charge and discharge freely with almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density. 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. Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified according to the shape of the casing into can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch of aluminum laminate sheet. Recently, secondary batteries are widely used for driving or energy storage not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices but also in medium-to-large devices such as electric vehicles and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). A single battery unit can be formed by housing multiple such secondary batteries together inside a module case while electrically connected. In this case, each secondary battery included in a single battery unit can be referred to as a battery cell. Furthermore, multiple such battery units can be connected to form a single battery assembly. However, when a battery assembly contains multiple battery units, and each battery unit contains multiple battery cells, it may be vulnerable to thermal chain reactions between battery units or between battery cells. For example, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs within a single battery unit, it is necessary to suppress the propagation of such runaway to other battery units or other battery cells. If the propagation of thermal runaway between battery units or cells is not properly suppressed, an event originating in a specific battery unit or cell may trigger a chain reaction of thermal reactions in other battery units or cells, potentially causing explosions or fires, or significantly amplifying the scale of such incidents. In particular, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs in a single battery unit, gases or flames may be randomly released to the outside. If the release of such gases or flames is not properly controlled, they may be released toward other battery units, potentially causing a thermal chain reaction in those units. Specifically, module terminals may be located on the front side of the battery unit to provide electrical connections with other battery units or battery assemblies, such as module busbars. Therefore, if flames are released toward the front of such a battery unit, they can damage the module terminals within the battery assembly and cause an electrical short circuit. Furthermore, since other battery units may be located in front of the battery unit, if flames are released toward the front of a specific battery unit, the released flames may spread toward other battery units, making it easy for fire to spread between battery units. If thermal propagation between battery units or between battery cells is not properly controlled, a rapid voltage drop may occur in the battery unit or battery assembly. This can lead to a sudden shutdown of the device equipped with the battery unit or battery assembly, causing unexpected damage. For example, if a sudden voltage drop occurs in the battery assembly while an electric vehicle is in operation, there may not be enough time to move the electric vehicle to a safe location. Furthermore, if thermal propagation between battery units or battery cells is not properly controlled and a fire or explosion occurs suddenly, there is a high possibility of causing casualties to users. For example, if thermal runaway occurs in an electric vehicle and a certain amount of time is not secured before it progresses into a full-scale fire, the occupants may not be able to escape safely. To ensure thermal safety, it is important to precisely monitor the temperature of the battery unit or battery assembly. By precisely measuring the temperature of the battery unit or battery assembly, the battery assembly can be stably controlled. Therefore, a structure is re