US-12626970-B2 - Battery device

US12626970B2US 12626970 B2US12626970 B2US 12626970B2US-12626970-B2

Abstract

A battery device includes a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a first plate having a gas inlet and having a first surface on which the cell stack is disposed, at least one cooling flow path disposed on a second surface of the first plate, and at least one venting flow path disposed on the second surface of the first plate and formed in a space between the cooling flow paths to be connected to the gas inlet.

Inventors

Hae Ryong Jeon

Assignees

SK ON CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20221223
Priority Date: 20220105

Claims (11)

1 . A battery device comprising: a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a cooling member cooling the cell stack; a sidewall portion surrounding a side surface of the cell stack and coupled to the cooling member; an expanded flow path provided in the sidewall portion; and a gas outlet coupled to the sidewall portion to be connected to the expanded flow path, wherein the cooling member comprises: a first plate having a gas inlet and having a first surface on which the cell stack is disposed; a second plate spaced apart from the first plate by a predetermined distance, at least one cooling flow path disposed on a second surface of the first plate; and at least one venting flow path disposed on the second surface of the first plate and formed in a space between the cooling flow paths, wherein the cooling flow path and the venting flow path are formed between the first plate and the second plate, and wherein the gas outlet is connected to the at least one venting flow path through a side portion of the cooling member formed between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the venting flow path is divided into a first venting flow path and a second venting flow path by the cooling flow path, wherein the first venting flow path and the second venting flow path are formed as independent flow paths not connected to each other within the cooling member, and wherein the first venting flow path and the second venting flow path are connected to each other through the expanded flow path.
2 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling flow path is formed integrally with the first plate and the second plate.
3 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling flow path is formed integrally with the first plate, and a space formed between the cooling flow path and the second plate is used as the venting flow path.
4 . The battery device of claim 1 , further comprising: a reinforcing member coupled to a portion of the sidewall portion opposing the cell stack, wherein the reinforcing member is formed of a material having a melting point higher than that of the sidewall portion.
5 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling flow path includes: a first flow path formed integrally with the first plate and the second plate; and a second flow path formed integrally with the first plate, the second flow path having at least one portion spaced apart from the second plate by a predetermined distance.
6 . The battery device of claim 5 , wherein the first flow path is a flow path formed to have a meandering shape, and the second flow path is a flow path connecting the first flow path and a gas outlet to each other.
7 . The battery device of claim 5 , wherein the second flow path is a flow path disposed on an outermost side of the cooling flow path.
8 . The battery device of claim 7 , wherein a plurality of first flow paths is dispersedly disposed, and the second flow path is branched into a plurality of second flow paths, and the plurality of second flow paths are connected to the plurality of first flow paths, respectively.
9 . The battery device of claim 1 , comprising: a first gas outlet connected to the first venting flow path; and a second gas outlet connected to the second venting flow path.
10 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein the cell stack includes at least one terminal, and the gas inlet is formed in a region of the first plate positioned below the terminal.
11 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of each of the cooling flow path and the venting flow path is formed to have a triangular shape, and the cooling flow path has one triangular side formed by the cooling flow path, and the venting flow path has one triangular side formed by the second plate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0001614 filed on Jan. 5, 2022 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field The present disclosure relates to a battery device having improved safety. 2. Description of Related Art Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries are chargeable and dischargeable, and thus are applicable to devices within various fields such as digital cameras, mobile phones, notebook computers, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles. Among secondary batteries, a large amount of research has been conducted on lithium secondary batteries having high energy density and discharge voltage. Lithium secondary batteries have been manufactured as pouch-type battery cells having flexibility, prismatic battery cells having rigidity, or cylindrical can-type battery cells. A plurality of battery cells stacked and electrically connected to each other are mounted in a packing case in units of cell stacks to form a battery pack. Such a battery pack is installed and used in an electric vehicle or the like. It is very important to ensure safety of such a battery device. In particular, when gas is generated in a battery cell due to an abnormal phenomenon and the gas is not rapidly discharged, other adjacent battery cells may be continuously exposed to high-temperature gas, which may lead to ignition or explosion. Therefore, it is necessary to rapidly discharge the internally generated gas externally. Chinese Patent Application No. 2018-11642595 discloses a technology for discharging gas through a lower portion of a case of a battery device. However, in a structure disclosed in the above document, only gas is dischargeable, and cooling of a battery cell or gas is not considered at all. Accordingly, there is an issue in that heat of the battery cell or heat of the gas is concentrated on the inside of the battery device, thereby causing additional explosion or ignition. Related Art 1: Chinese Patent Application No. 2018-11642595 SUMMARY An aspect of the present disclosure is to suppress the occurrence of ignition or explosion by rapidly discharging high-temperature gas generated in a battery pack while cooling the high-temperature gas. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery device including a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a first plate having a gas inlet and having a first surface on which the cell stack is disposed, at least one cooling flow path disposed on a second surface of the first plate, and at least one venting flow path disposed on the second surface of the first plate and formed in a space between the cooling flow paths to be connected to the gas inlet. The battery device may further include a second plate spaced apart from the first plate by a predetermined distance. The cooling flow path and the venting flow path may be formed between the first plate and the second plate. The cooling flow path may be formed integrally with the first plate and the second plate. The cooling flow path may be formed integrally with the first plate. A space formed between the cooling flow path and the second plate may be used as the venting flow path. The battery device may further include a sidewall portion surrounding a side surface of the cell stack and fastened to the first plate. An expanded flow path connected to the venting flow path may be provided in the sidewall portion. The battery device may further include a gas outlet fastened to the sidewall portion and connected to the expanded flow path. The battery device may further include a reinforcing member coupled to a portion of the sidewall portion opposing the cell stack. The reinforcing member may be formed of a material having a melting point higher than that of the sidewall portion. The cooling flow path may include a first flow path formed integrally with the first plate and the second plate, and a second flow path formed integrally with the first plate, the second flow path having at least one portion spaced apart from the second plate by a predetermined distance. The first flow path may be a flow path formed to have a meandering shape. The second flow path may be a flow path connecting the first flow path and a gas outlet to each other. The second flow path may be a flow path disposed on an outermost side of the cooling flow path. A plurality of first flow paths may be dispersedly disposed. The second flow path may be branched into a plural its of second flow paths, and the plurality of second flow paths may be connected to the plurality of first flow paths, respectively. The venting flow path may be divided into a first venting flow path and a second venting flow path by the cooling flow path. The battery device may include a first gas outlet connected to the first venting flow path, and a second gas ou