Specification
Title of invention: battery module, battery pack including such battery module, and automobile including such battery pack
Technical field
[One]
The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including such a battery module, and a vehicle including such a battery pack. This application is an application for claiming priority for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0029211 filed on March 13, 2018, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the application are incorporated herein by reference.
Background
[2]
Rechargeable batteries with high ease of application and high energy density according to product group are not only portable devices, but also electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid vehicles (HEVs) driven by electric drive sources. It is universally applied. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for eco-friendliness and energy efficiency improvement in that they do not generate any by-products from the use of energy, as well as the primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels.
[3]
Types of rechargeable batteries currently widely used include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydride batteries, nickel zinc batteries, and the like. The operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, that is, a unit battery cell, is about 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack may be formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. In addition, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in parallel according to the charge/discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Accordingly, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack may be variously set according to a required output voltage or charge/discharge capacity.
[4]
On the other hand, when configuring a battery pack by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series/parallel, a battery module including at least one battery cell is first configured, and other components are added using at least one battery module. It is common to construct a battery pack.
[5]
In the case of such a conventional battery module, as the required battery capacity increases, the importance of a technology capable of efficiently cooling heat generated from a battery cell is gradually increasing.
[6]
For this efficient cooling, in the conventional battery module, a thermally conductive adhesive is applied to the upper inner surface of the module case or the upper side of the cooling plate, so that a battery cell assembly including at least one battery cell is applied to the upper inner surface of the lower inner surface or the upper cooling plate. A structure has been introduced that can stably fix the device and improve thermal conductivity.
[7]
However, in such a conventional battery module, the position where the thermally conductive adhesive can be applied is limited only to the upper inner surface of the bottom of the module case or the upper cooling plate. This is because, since separate components such as voltage sensing lines are located above the battery cell assembly, it is difficult to uniformly apply a thermally conductive adhesive over the entire battery cell assembly around these components. Therefore, there is a problem in that there is a problem that it is not possible to cope with the design or design change of the device in which the battery module is used because there is a limitation that only the cooling structure through the lower side of the battery cell assembly is possible, and the cooling performance through the lower side of the battery cell assembly is insufficient. There were difficulties in improving this.
Detailed description of the invention
Technical challenge
[8]
Accordingly, the present invention is invented to solve the above problems, a battery module that enables a cooling structure through the upper side of the battery cell assembly in a battery module cooled using a thermally conductive adhesive, and a battery including such a battery module It is an object to provide a pack and a vehicle including such a battery pack.
[9]
Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by examples of the present invention. In addition, it will be easily understood that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means shown in the claims and combinations thereof.
Means of solving the task
[10]
In order to solve the above object, the present invention, a battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; A sensing assembly covering front and rear of the battery cell assembly; A module case accommodating the battery cell assembly on which the sensing assembly is mounted; And a thermally conductive adhesive interposed between an upper inner surface of the module case and an upper side of the battery cell assembly, wherein the sensing assembly includes: a first bus bar frame assembly disposed in front of the battery cell assembly; A second busbar frame assembly facing the first busbar frame assembly and disposed behind the battery cell assembly; And a sensing wire connecting the first busbar frame assembly and the second busbar frame assembly, and crossing an upper side of the battery cell assembly in a diagonal direction, wherein the thermally conductive adhesive is positioned on both sides of the sensing wire. It provides a battery module characterized by.
[11]
The module case may include a top plate covering an upper side of the battery cell assembly; A bottom plate disposed opposite the top plate and covering a lower side of the battery cell assembly; And a pair of side plates coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate and disposed on both sides of the battery cell assembly to form first and second openings that open to both sides of the battery cells in the length direction. And a front cover coupled to the first opening of the module case and covering the front of the battery cell assembly, and a rear cover coupled to the second opening of the module case and covering the rear of the battery cell assembly. I can.
[12]
The sensing wire may be provided as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). In this case, a top cover for covering the flexible printed circuit board may be further included. The top cover may have hooks formed at both ends, and a fixing hole for inserting the hook is formed in the first bus bar frame assembly and the second bus bar frame assembly, so that the hook is coupled to the fixing hole.
[13]
It is provided above the module case, and injection holes for injecting the thermally conductive adhesive into the module case may further include injection holes on both sides of the portion corresponding to the sensing wire. In this case, a plurality of injection holes may be provided side by side along a direction forming an angle of 0 degrees to 30 degrees with a direction in which the sensing wire travels.
[14]
The injection holes may be provided with an inclined chamfer on one side.
[15]
And, the present invention, as a battery pack, at least one battery module according to the present invention; And a pack case for packaging the at least one battery module.
[16]
In addition, the present invention provides a vehicle, comprising at least one battery pack according to the present invention.
Effects of the Invention
[17]
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery module using a square tube monoframe type module case, not a conventional cell cartridge (cartridge). Since the cell cartridge does not have to be a structure that inserts and fixes the edge of the battery cell as in the prior art, the margin of the design of the entire battery module increases. It can solve the problem that shock or vibration is transmitted to the edge of the battery cell. These battery modules and battery packs have an excellent effect of protecting battery cells against external vibrations, so they are advantageous for application to automobiles that are frequently exposed to external vibrations.
[18]
According to another aspect of the present invention, assembly of the battery module can be easily performed, and thus processability can be excellent. In addition, a sealing component such as an O-ring, a cooling component such as a cooling pin, and a reinforcing or fixing component such as a cartridge may not be included, so that the number of components of the battery module may be reduced. Therefore, according to this aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce manufacturing cost, time, weight, etc., thereby improving the productivity of the battery module.
[19]
According to another aspect of the present invention, the thermally conductive adhesive may be uniformly applied over the entire upper side of the battery cell assembly. Accordingly, a cooling structure through the upper side as well as the lower side of the battery cell assembly becomes possible. According to the present invention, since cooling is possible through the upper side of the battery cell assembly, it is easy to cope with the design or design change of the device in which the battery module is used, and when the cooling performance through the lower side of the battery cell assembly is insufficient, it can be improved. have.
[20]
According to another aspect of the present invention, since the thermally conductive adhesive is applied to the upper side of the battery cell assembly, it is possible to more reliably fix the battery cell and the module case, and to securely fix the position of the battery cell by impact.
[21]
According to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to increase the efficiency of injecting the thermally conductive adhesive in a battery module cooled by using the thermally conductive adhesive.
[22]
As described above, the present invention can provide a simple and compact battery module without complicating the structure of the entire battery pack and taking up a lot of space. I can. In addition, a battery pack including such a battery module and a vehicle including the battery pack may be provided.
Brief description of the drawing
[23]
The following drawings attached to the present specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present invention together with the detailed description of the present invention to be described later. It is limited only to and should not be interpreted.
[24]
1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[25]
Figure 2 is a perspective view of Figure 1 combined.
[26]
3 is a perspective view of a sensing assembly included in the battery module of FIG. 1.
[27]
4 is a top view of the sensing assembly of FIG. 3.
[28]
5A to 5C are views illustrating a structure in which a top cover is coupled to a first busbar frame assembly in the sensing assembly of FIG. 3.
[29]
6 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 1 before the top cover of the sensing assembly is coupled.
[30]
7 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 1 after the top cover of the sensing assembly is coupled.
[31]
8 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 1 after a thermally conductive adhesive is applied to the upper side of the battery cell assembly.
[32]
9 is a perspective view for explaining a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[33]
10 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 9.
[34]
11 is a cross-sectional view of a main part for explaining injection holes of the battery module of FIG. 9.
[35]
12 is an enlarged view of part C of FIG. 11.
[36]
13 is a top view of a comparative example battery module.
[37]
14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lower cooling structure of the battery module of FIG. 13.
[38]
15 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper and lower cooling structures of the battery module of the experimental example of the present invention.
[39]
16 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Mode for carrying out the invention
[40]
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, terms or words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and the inventors appropriately explain the concept of terms in order to describe their own invention in the best way. Based on the principle that it can be defined, it should be interpreted as a meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention.
[41]
Therefore, the embodiments described in the present specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, and do not represent all the technical spirit of the present invention, and thus various It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations.
[42]
1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a combined perspective view of FIG. 1.
[43]
1 and 2, the battery module 10 may include a battery cell assembly 100, a sensing assembly 200, a module case 300, and thermally conductive adhesives 400 and 500.
[44]
The battery cell assembly 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110. The plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked to be electrically connected to each other. Here, the electrode leads 120 of the plurality of battery cells 110 may be electrically connected to the sensing assembly 200.
[45]
The sensing assembly 200 covers the front and rear of the battery cell assembly 100. The sensing assembly 200 is electrically connected to the battery cell assembly 100 and may sense a voltage or temperature of the battery cell assembly 100. In addition, the sensing assembly 200 may be connected to an external power source or the like.
[46]
The sensing assembly 200 serves to transmit sensing information on electrical characteristics such as voltage of the battery cell assembly 100 to another device (not shown) outside the battery module 10. For example, a device such as a battery management system (BMS) is connected to the battery module 10 and may be configured to control an operation of the battery module 10 such as charging or discharging. At this time, the sensing assembly 200 may be connected to the BMS to provide information on the sensed voltage of the battery cell assembly 100 to the BMS, and the BMS may configure the battery module 10 based on this information. Can be controlled.
[47]
The sensing assembly 200 is opposed to the first busbar frame assembly 210 and the first busbar frame assembly 210 disposed in front of the battery cell assembly 100 and the battery cell assembly 100 The second bus bar frame assembly 220 disposed at the rear of the unit, and the first bus bar frame assembly 210 and the second bus bar frame assembly 220 are connected, and the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100 is It includes a sensing wire 230 crossing in a diagonal direction.
[48]
The first bus bar frame assembly 210 includes a bus bar 212 and a frame 214. The second bus bar frame assembly 220 also includes a bus bar 222 and a frame 224.
[49]
The bus bar frame assemblies 210 and 220 of the sensing assembly 200 are provided with electrode leads 120 of the plurality of battery cells 110 so as to be electrically connected to the electrode leads 120 of the plurality of battery cells 110. ) Can be mounted on the exposed portion.In the case of the battery module 10 of this embodiment, since the positive lead and the negative lead are composed of pouch-type secondary batteries protruding in both directions, One busbar frame assembly 210 and 220 is mounted one by one at the front and rear of the battery cell assembly 100.
[50]
Here, the busbar frame assemblies 210 and 220 are detachably coupled to the corresponding side portions of the battery cell assembly 100 and are configured to cover the entire side portion of the battery cell assembly 100. As the busbar frame assemblies 210 and 220 and the battery cell assembly 100 are coupled, the battery cell assembly 100 may be integrally supported by the busbar frame assemblies 210 and 220.
[51]
The module case 300 has an empty space therein. The module case 300 accommodates the battery cell assembly 100 on which the sensing assembly 200 is mounted. The module case 300 is provided in an open form at least on one side, so that the battery cell assembly 100 can be inserted through the open portion. The module case 300 may be generally provided in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. For example, the module case 300 may be provided as a rectangular tube having open sides facing each other.
[52]
The module case 300 is made of a thermally conductive material to absorb heat from the battery cell assembly 100 and dissipate it to the outside. The module case 300 may be made of a metal material. Since the metal material has excellent thermal conductivity, it can perform a heat dissipation function as a whole. The module case 300 may be made of any metal material, but in consideration of thermal conductivity, workability, and cost, it is preferable to use SUS or aluminum.
[53]
The module case 300 may include a top plate 310 covering an upper side of the battery cell assembly 100. To this end, the top plate 310 may have a size and shape capable of covering all the upper sides of the battery cell assembly 100. The module case 300 is disposed opposite to the top plate 310 and may include a bottom plate 320 covering a lower side of the battery cell assembly 100. The bottom plate 320 is provided in substantially the same shape as the top plate 310 and may stably support the battery cell assembly 100. The module case 300 is coupled to the top plate 310 and the bottom plate 320 and may include a pair of side plates 330 disposed on both sides of the battery cell assembly 100. . The pair of side plates 330 may face each other and have the same shape and size.
[54]
In this way, the module case 300 includes the top plate 310, the bottom plate 320, and the side plate 330, and the first openings OA open to both sides of the battery cells 110 in the length direction. ) And a second opening OB. The top plate 310, the bottom plate 320, and the side plate 330 may be connected to each other by welding. For example, between the top plate 310, the bottom plate 320, and the side plate 330, cross-sections may be welded to each other by friction stir welding in a state in which the ends of each other are not overlapped and the edges are butted to each other. . As another example, the top plate 310, the bottom plate 320, and the side plate 330 may be bonded to each other, formed integrally, or coupled in a hinge structure. As such, the module case 300 may be referred to as a monoframe.
[55]
A guide structure may be further formed on an upper surface of the bottom plate 320 so that the battery cell assembly 100 is inserted and fixed. The guide structure and the battery cell 110 may be combined in a sliding manner. That is, a part of the battery cell 110 may be inserted and coupled to the guide structure. For example, the sealing part of the battery cell 110 may be inserted into the guide structure. A plurality of guide structures may be provided in a groove shape. The guide structure may be provided in a number corresponding to that of the battery cells 110. When the battery cell 110 is inserted into the guide structure, the battery cell 110 may be more stably supported.
[56]
In the assembly process, the battery cell assembly 100 on which the sensing assembly 200 is mounted is accommodated into the module case 300 through the first opening OA of the module case 300. In this case, a thermally conductive adhesive 400 is applied to the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100, and another thermally conductive adhesive 500 is applied to the lower side of the battery cell assembly 100 to the module case 300. It may be accommodated or, as in other embodiments to be described later, after the assembly process is completed, a thermally conductive adhesive may be injected into the module case 300 to form the thermally conductive adhesives 400 and 500.
[57]
After the battery cell assembly 100 is accommodated in the module case 300, the front cover 340 is coupled to the first opening OA of the module case 300 and is in front of the battery cell assembly 100 Covers. The front cover 340 may also be coupled to the first busbar frame assembly 210. The front cover 340 may form a front portion of the battery module 10. In addition, the rear cover 350 is coupled to the second opening OB of the module case 300 after the battery cell assembly 100 is accommodated in the module case 300 and the battery cell assembly 100 Covers the rear of the car. The rear cover 350 may also be coupled to the second busbar frame assembly 220. The rear cover 350 may form a rear portion of the battery module 10.
[58]
In this way, the front cover 340 and the rear cover 350 are disposed at the front and rear sides of the top plate 310 and the bottom plate 320, and may cover the front and rear sides of the battery cell assembly 100. The front cover 340 and the rear cover 350 may be welded or bonded to the module case 300. Or it can be detachably combined.
[59]
In this way, the battery module 10 uses a module case 300 of a square tube mono frame type, not a conventional cell cartridge. As the conventional cell cartridge does not have to be a structure in which the edge of the battery cell is inserted and fixed, the margin of design of the entire battery module 10 increases, and when installed when the edge of the battery cell is inserted inside the cell cartridge. It is possible to solve the problem that the shock or vibration that may occur is transmitted to the edge of the battery cell. The battery module 10 and the battery pack including the same have excellent effects of protecting the battery cells against external vibrations, so they are advantageous for application to automobiles that are frequently exposed to external vibrations.
[60]
In addition, after receiving the battery cell assembly 100 through the opening of the module case 300, the battery module 10 is completed by a simple operation of closing both openings. As such, the assembly of the battery module 10 can be easily performed, and thus processability can be excellent. In addition, a sealing component such as an O-ring, a cooling component such as a cooling pin, and a reinforcing or fixing component such as a cartridge may not be included, so that the number of components of the battery module 10 may be reduced. Accordingly, manufacturing cost, time, and weight can be reduced, and thus the productivity of the battery module 10 can be improved.
[61]
The thermally conductive adhesive 400 is interposed between the upper inner surface of the module case 300, that is, the bottom surface of the top plate 310 and the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100. The thermally conductive adhesive 400 is positioned on both sides of the sensing wire 230. In the related art, there is no example in which a thermally conductive adhesive is uniformly applied to an upper side of a battery cell assembly in which a separate component such as a voltage sensing line is located.
[62]
The thermally conductive adhesive 400 is a cooling adhesive capable of heat conduction, and may be provided with a thermal resin. The type of thermal resin is not limited, but may be any one of a thermally conductive silicone-based bond, a thermally conductive acrylic bond, or a thermally conductive polyurethane bond.
[63]
In this embodiment, an additional thermally conductive adhesive 500 may be interposed between the lower inner surface of the module case 300, that is, between the upper surface of the bottom plate 320 and the lower side of the battery cell assembly 100.
[64]
As such, the thermally conductive adhesive may be uniformly applied over the entire upper side of the battery cell assembly 100. Accordingly, a cooling structure through the upper side as well as the lower side of the battery cell assembly 100 becomes possible. According to the present invention, since cooling is also possible through the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100, it is easy to cope with the design or design change of the device in which the battery module 10 is used, and cooling performance through the lower side of the battery cell assembly 100 If this is not enough, you can improve it. In addition, since the thermally conductive adhesive 400 is applied on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100, it is possible to more reliably fix the battery cells 110 and the module case 300, and the battery cells 110 The position can be fixed firmly.
[65]
3 is a perspective view of a sensing assembly included in the battery module of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a top view of the sensing assembly of FIG. 3, and FIGS. 5A to 5C are a top cover in the sensing assembly of FIG. 3. It is a diagram showing a structure coupled to the assembly.
[66]
3 and 4, the sensing assembly 200 includes a first busbar frame assembly 210, a second busbar frame assembly 220, and a sensing wire 230 as seen above. The sensing wire 230 connects the first busbar frame assembly 210 and the second busbar frame assembly 220. The sensing wire 230 may be provided as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The FPCB has a circuit printed on a board made of electrical insulating material and extends long in a rectangular strip shape. In this case, it may further include a top cover 240 covering the flexible printed circuit board.
[67]
The first busbar frame assembly 210 is disposed in front of the battery cell assembly 100 and may be coupled to the front cover 340. The first busbar frame assembly 210 may be electrically connected to electrode leads 120 of the battery cells 110 of the battery cell assembly 100. To this end, the first bus bar frame assembly 210 is provided with a plurality of bus bars 212 electrically connected to the electrode leads 120 of the battery cells 110, and such a bus bar 212 And a frame 214 that supports them and includes an external connector or an input/output terminal terminal. The frame 214 may be made of reinforced plastic having excellent electrical insulation and impact resistance.
[68]
The second bus bar frame assembly 220 is disposed opposite to the first bus bar frame assembly 210 with the battery cell assembly 100 interposed therebetween, and a rear cover from the rear of the battery cell assembly 100 Can be combined with 350. The second busbar frame assembly 220 may be electrically connected to electrode leads 120 of the battery cells 110 of the battery cell assembly 100. To this end, the second bus bar frame assembly 220 is provided with a plurality of bus bars 222 electrically connected to the electrode leads 120 of the battery cells 110, such a bus bar 222 And a frame 224 that supports them and includes an external connector or an input/output terminal terminal. The frame 224 may be made of reinforced plastic having excellent electrical insulation and impact resistance.
[69]
The frames 214 and 224 also function as an isolation plate covering at least a portion of the bus bars 212 and 222 to electrically insulate at least a portion of the bus bars 212 and 222. A BMS electrically connected to the sensing assembly 200 may be further included on the frames 214 and 224.
[70]
The sensing wire 230 crosses the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100 in a diagonal direction. Accordingly, the sensing wire 230 is placed above all the battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100. Since the sensing wire 230 is not arranged to be skewed on either side, the thermally conductive adhesive 400 formed on both sides of the sensing wire 230 may be uniformly formed for all battery cells 110. This will be described later with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.
[71]
5A to 5C illustrate in detail the coupling relationship between the top cover 240 and the first busbar frame assembly 210.
[72]
A work failure during assembly of the sensing wire 230 is directly related to safety, and if the covering is torn, the insulation condition may not be met or a short circuit may occur. Therefore, the top cover 240 is applied as an exterior material structure protecting the sensing wire 230. In addition, the sensing wire 230, such as an FPCB, is not rigid, so there may be difficulties in work and restraint. Accordingly, the robustness of the sensing wire 230 member may be secured by applying the top cover 240 made of a plastic injection material such as PI.
[73]
5A to 5C, the top cover 240 has hooks 242 formed at both ends, and a fixing hole for inserting the hook into the first busbar frame assembly 210, in particular, the frame 214 (216) is formed. When the hook 242 is coupled to the fixing hole 216, the top cover 240 and the first busbar frame assembly 210 are coupled. The coupling relationship between the top cover 240 and the second busbar frame assembly 220 is the same. The hook 242 and the fixing hole 216 fastening structure are easy to work and disassemble, and serve as a kind of hinge, thus providing a sufficient process margin in operation.
[74]
The battery module 10 of the present invention is characterized in that it is possible to form a thermally conductive adhesive 400 on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100, and the reason why this is possible is the change of the sensing assembly 200. The sensing assembly 200 is characterized in that the sensing wire 230 is disposed across the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100 in a diagonal direction. With reference to Figs. 6 to 8, the remarkable effect peculiar to this arrangement will be described.
[75]
6 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 1 before the top cover of the sensing assembly is coupled, FIG. 7 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 1 after the top cover of the sensing assembly is coupled, and FIG. 8 is It is a top view after the thermally conductive adhesive is applied to the upper side of the battery cell assembly in the battery module.
[76]
First, referring to FIG. 6, as described above, a sensing wire 230 connecting the first bus bar frame assembly 210 and the second bus bar frame assembly 220 is diagonally disposed above the battery cell assembly 100. It is placed across the direction. Since the sensing wire 230 is not disposed to be biased toward either side of the battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100, the sensing wire 230 evenly passes through the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100. Most preferably, it is disposed to pass through all the battery cells 110 or to achieve perfect symmetry with respect to the sensing wire 230. From the perspective of the battery cell assembly 100, the battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100 are placed in an environment that is substantially similar to each other. In the case where a sensing wire passes over some battery cells, but no sensing wire passes over some other battery cells, the environment in which each battery cell is located does not change depending on the location of the battery cells. Accordingly, the characteristics of the battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100 can be evenly maintained and used.
[77]
Referring to FIG. 7, the top cover 240 covers the sensing wire 230. Since the top cover 240 has an exterior material structure that protects the sensing wire 230, it is placed diagonally across the top of the battery cell assembly 100 according to the arrangement of the sensing wire 230.
[78]
Next, referring to FIG. 8, a thermally conductive adhesive 400 is formed on both sides of the sensing wire 230. The sensing wire 230 and the top cover 240 protrude above the battery cell assembly 100. When the module case 300 is designed so that the top surface of the top cover 240 and the upper bottom surface of the module case 300 fit tightly, the sensing wire 230 An empty space is formed between the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100 and the upper bottom surface of the module case 3000, and the thermally conductive adhesive 400 occupies this empty space.
[79]
Since the sensing wire 230 is placed across the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100 in a diagonal direction, the thermally conductive adhesive 400 formed on both sides of the sensing wire 230 forms the battery cell assembly 100. It can be formed evenly above all the battery cells 110. Therefore, there is no fear that the thermally conductive adhesive 400 is biased to either side and cools only in some of the battery cells 110.
[80]
In the conventional battery module, there is a problem that the position where the thermally conductive adhesive can be applied is limited only to the upper side of the inner surface of the bottom of the module case or the upper side of the cooling plate. This is because a separate component such as a voltage sensing line is located above the battery cell assembly, so it is difficult to uniformly apply a thermally conductive adhesive over the entire battery cell assembly around the component. In the present invention, as the sensing wire 230 is arranged diagonally, the thermally conductive adhesive 400 can be uniformly applied over the entire battery cell assembly 100 around the sensing wire 230. Accordingly, in the present invention, it is possible to cope with the case where not only the lower side cooling but also the upper side cooling is required, and the battery cell heating problem can be solved by cooling through the upper side of the battery cell assembly. In addition, since it is possible to uniformly remove heat from all the battery cells constituting the battery cell assembly through the thermally conductive adhesive 400, the heat removal of some battery cells is not sufficient, so only some battery cells deteriorate quickly. There is no fear of a problem occurring.
[81]
Conventionally, it was not possible to apply a thermally conductive adhesive on the upper side of the battery cell assembly due to the structure of the battery cell assembly, but in the present invention, this was made possible by changing the structure of the sensing assembly included in the battery cell assembly. This is not a simple design change because the performance effect is improved and the battery cell fixing effect is excellent.
[82]
9 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a top view of the battery module of FIG. 9. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a main part for explaining injection holes of the battery module of FIG. 9, and FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of part C of FIG. 11.
[83]
The battery module 20 according to the present embodiment is substantially the same as or similar to the battery module 10 of the previous embodiment, so the same or similar configuration is not described in duplicate, and hereinafter, the difference from the previous embodiment will be focused. Explained as.
[84]
The battery module 20 includes injection holes 312 for injecting a thermally conductive adhesive into the module case 300 in the upper portion of the module case 300, that is, the top plate 310. The injection holes 312 are included on both sides of a portion corresponding to the sensing wire 230.
[85]
In the assembly process, after the battery cell assembly (refer to 100 in FIG. 1) is accommodated in the module case 300, the front cover 340 and the rear cover 350 are also coupled. Then, the operator or the like may place the module case 300 horizontally before injection of the thermally conductive adhesive.
[86]
Thereafter, the operator or the like inserts an injection nozzle into the injection holes 312 provided above the module case 300 so that the thermally conductive adhesive can be applied into the module case 300, and the thermal conductivity An adhesive may be injected into the module case 300. Through this, a thermally conductive adhesive 400 may be formed on both sides of the sensing wire 230 on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100.
[87]
Before the injection, the module case 300 is positioned horizontally and the thermally conductive adhesive is injected in a vertical direction with respect to the ground, so that the thermally conductive adhesive may be evenly distributed inside the module case 300.
[88]
In particular, a plurality of injection holes 312 may be provided side by side along a direction forming an angle of 0 to 30 degrees with a direction in which the sensing wire 230 travels. The fact that the injection holes 312 are provided along a direction forming an angle of 0 degrees with the moving direction of the sensing wire 230 means that the injection holes 312 are formed in parallel with the sensing wire 230. This angle may be adjusted for uniform application of the thermally conductive adhesive into the module case 300.
[89]
The injection holes 312 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. In order to uniformly apply the thermally conductive adhesive into the module case 300, the separation distances may be adjusted to be the same or to be gradually different from each other.
[90]
An inclined chamfer portion 314 may be provided at one side of the plurality of injection holes 312, specifically, an end exposed outside the top plate 310, which is an upper portion of the module case 300. The chamfer part 314 guides the positioning of the injection nozzle for injection of the thermally conductive adhesive into the injection holes 312 and increases the contact area with the injection nozzle to increase the sealing force when the injection nozzle is mounted. Can be improved.
[91]
Hereinafter, the result of experimental simulation of the cooling performance of the battery module according to the present invention will be described.
[92]
13 is a top view of the battery module of Comparative Example, and FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a lower cooling structure of the battery module of FIG. 13.
[93]
The battery module as shown in FIG. 13 is a structure assumed by the present inventors for comparison with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 13, so that the position of the sensing wire 230 ′ is skewed toward one side of the battery cell assembly 100, so as not to include a thermally conductive adhesive on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100. I did. A thermally conductive adhesive 500 having a thermal conductivity of 3 W/mK was applied to the lower side of the battery cell assembly 100, and an Al material was applied as the module case 300, and the battery cell assembly 100-the thermally conductive adhesive 500 -A heat transfer path of the bottom plate 320 was configured. Since the sensing wire 230' is inclined, it is not possible to apply a thermally conductive adhesive on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100, and thus only the lower side cooling is possible. Thermal resistance from the top of the battery cell 110 to the bottom of the module case 300, that is, the bottom plate 320 was simulated to be about 1.4K/W.
[94]
15 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper and lower cooling structures of the battery module of the experimental example of the present invention.
[95]
15 corresponds to the battery module 10 according to the embodiment. As described above, the position of the sensing wire 230 was placed in the diagonal direction of the battery cell assembly 100 so as to uniformly include the thermally conductive adhesive 400 having a thermal conductivity of 3 W/mK on the upper side of the battery cell assembly 100. A thermally conductive adhesive 500 having a thermal conductivity of 3 W/mK was applied to the lower side of the battery cell assembly 100, and an Al material was applied as the module case 300. Accordingly, in the experimental example of the present invention, the battery cell assembly 100 as shown in FIG. )-Thermally conductive adhesive 500-It was possible to configure the heat transfer path of the bottom plate (320). In the case of the experimental example of the present invention, both upper and lower cooling of the battery cell assembly were possible. In particular, in the case of upper cooling, the top of the module case 300 from the top of the battery cell 110, that is, the top plate ( The heat resistance up to 310) was simulated to be about 0.8K/W, showing a much lower value than the heat resistance of the comparative example, and it was confirmed that the cooling performance was much better. In addition, as in the comparative example, since the lower cooling is added, it can be seen that the overall thermal resistance will be further reduced to 0.8K/W or less if this is considered.
[96]
16 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[97]
Referring to FIG. 16, the battery pack 1 may include at least one battery module 10 according to the preceding embodiment and a pack case 50 for packaging the at least one battery module 10.
[98]
Here, the at least one battery module may be provided as the battery module 20 of the previous embodiment. In addition, it goes without saying that the battery module may be provided as an assembly of the battery module 10 and the battery module 20 of the previous embodiment. In addition, the battery pack 1 according to the present invention includes various devices for controlling charge/discharge of the battery module 10, such as BMS, current sensor, fuse, etc., in addition to the battery module 10 and the pack case 50. It can be included more.
[99]
The battery pack 1 may be provided in a vehicle as a fuel source for a vehicle. As an example, the battery pack 1 may be provided in an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and in other ways in which the battery pack 1 can be used as a fuel source.
[100]
In addition, it goes without saying that the battery pack 1 may be provided in other devices, devices, and facilities, such as an energy storage system using a secondary battery in addition to the vehicle.
[101]
As such, the battery pack 1 according to the present embodiment and the apparatus, apparatus, and equipment including the battery pack 1 such as the automobile include the battery module 10 described above, It is possible to implement a battery pack 1 having all of the advantages due to (10) and a device, apparatus, and equipment such as an automobile including the battery pack 1.
[102]
According to various embodiments as described above, the battery modules 10 and 20 capable of realizing a more compact size while securing a floor area ratio of the battery cells 110, such the battery modules 10 and 20 The battery pack 1 including, and a vehicle including the battery pack 1 may be provided.
[103]
Meanwhile, in the present specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, before, and after are used, but these terms are for convenience of description only, and it is understood that these terms may vary depending on the location of the object or the observer. It is obvious to those skilled in the art of the invention.
[104]
As described above, although the present invention has been described by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the following by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. It goes without saying that various modifications and variations are possible within the equivalent range of the claims to be described.
Claims
[Claim 1]
A battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; A sensing assembly covering front and rear of the battery cell assembly; A module case accommodating the battery cell assembly on which the sensing assembly is mounted; And a thermally conductive adhesive interposed between an upper inner surface of the module case and an upper side of the battery cell assembly, wherein the sensing assembly includes: a first bus bar frame assembly disposed in front of the battery cell assembly; A second busbar frame assembly facing the first busbar frame assembly and disposed behind the battery cell assembly; And a sensing wire connecting the first busbar frame assembly and the second busbar frame assembly, and crossing an upper side of the battery cell assembly in a diagonal direction, wherein the thermally conductive adhesive is positioned on both sides of the sensing wire. Battery module characterized by.
[Claim 2]
The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the module case comprises: a top plate covering an upper side of the battery cell assembly; A bottom plate disposed opposite the top plate and covering a lower side of the battery cell assembly; And a pair of side plates coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate and disposed on both sides of the battery cell assembly to form first and second openings that open to both sides of the battery cells in the length direction. And a front cover coupled to the first opening of the module case and covering the front of the battery cell assembly, and a rear cover coupled to the second opening of the module case and covering the rear of the battery cell assembly. Battery module, characterized in that.
[Claim 3]
The battery module of claim 1, wherein the sensing wire is provided as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).
[Claim 4]
The battery module of claim 3, further comprising a top cover covering the flexible printed circuit board.
[Claim 5]
The method of claim 4, wherein the top cover has hooks formed at both ends, and a fixing hole for inserting the hook is formed in the first bus bar frame assembly and the second bus bar frame assembly, so that the hook is formed in the fixing hole. Battery module, characterized in that combined.
[Claim 6]
The battery module of claim 1, further comprising injection holes provided on the module case and for injecting the thermally conductive adhesive into the module case on both sides of the portion corresponding to the sensing wire.
[Claim 7]
The battery module of claim 6, wherein a plurality of injection holes are provided side by side along a direction forming an angle of 0 to 30 degrees with the direction of the sensing wire.
[Claim 8]
The battery module of claim 6, wherein the injection holes are provided with inclined chamfer portions at one side.
[Claim 9]
At least one battery module according to claim 1; And a pack case for packaging the at least one battery module.
[Claim 10]
A vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 9.