Patent Description:
The present application claims priority to <CIT> in the Republic of Korea,.

Meanwhile, when a plurality of battery cells are connected in series or in parallel to configure a battery pack, it is common to configure a battery module including at least one battery cell first, and then configure a battery rack by using at least one battery module and adding other components. When configuring the battery rack, an energy storage system may be configured using a plurality of battery racks.

In the conventional battery module, a cooling unit of a water cooling type or an air cooling type may be provided for cooling the battery module. Here, the cooling unit of the battery module having an air-cooling structure generally includes a cooling air supplying portion and a cooling air discharging portion. Meanwhile, when a high temperature situation occurs due to abnormal heating of at least one of the battery cells, high temperature gas and flame may be generated inside the battery module.

However, in the conventional battery module having an air-cooling structure, when such a high temperature situation occurs, high temperature gas and flame inside the battery module may be discharged out of the battery module only through the cooling air supplying portion and the cooling air discharging portion of the cooling unit. For this reason, high temperature gas and flame may not be smoothly discharged out of the battery module.

In this case, a thermal runaway of any one battery cell is propagated to adjacent battery cells, leading to explosion of the entire battery module, thereby causing a great damage.

Thus, it is required to find a way to discharge high temperature gas and flame to the outside more quickly when a high temperature situation occurs due to abnormal heating in the battery module having an air-cooling structure.

The present disclosure is directed to providing a battery module, which may quickly discharge high temperature gas and flame to the outside when a high temperature situation occurs due to abnormal heating in the battery module having an air-cooling structure, a battery rack including the battery module, and an energy storage system including the battery rack.

According to the invention defined in the appended claims, there is provided a battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a module case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells and having inner cooling channels formed at both sides of the plurality of battery cells; at least one opening provided at both side surfaces of the module case to face the inner cooling channels of the module case; and a pair of film members mounted to both side surfaces of the module case to cover the at least one opening, the pair of film members being melted over a predetermined temperature to open the at least one opening.

The opening may be provided in plural, and the plurality of openings may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along a longitudinal direction of the module case.

The pair of film members may have a size to cover all of the plurality of openings.

The opening may be provided in a pair, and the pair of openings may be respectively provided to both side surfaces of the module case.

The pair of openings may be provided in a mesh shape.

The pair of film members may have a size to cover the pair of openings, respectively.

The battery module further comprises a cooling unit provided to the module case to supply a cooling air toward the inner cooling channel and discharge the cooling air out of the module case.

The cooling unit includes a cooling air supplying portion provided at one side of the module case to provide the cooling air toward the inner cooling channel; and a cooling air discharging portion provided at the other side of the module case to discharge the cooling air in the inner cooling channel to the outside of the module case.

In addition, the present disclosure further provides a battery rack, comprising: at least one battery module according to the above embodiments; and a rack case configured to package the at least one battery module.

Moreover, the present disclosure further provides an energy storage system, comprising at least one battery rack according to the above embodiments.

According to various embodiments as above, it is possible to provide a battery module, which may quickly discharge high temperature gas and flame to the outside when a high temperature situation occurs due to abnormal heating in the battery module having an air-cooling structure, a battery rack including the battery module, and an energy storage system including the battery rack.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a cross-sectioned view showing the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a side view showing the battery module of <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, a battery module <NUM> may include a battery cell <NUM>, a module case <NUM>, a cooling unit <NUM>, an opening <NUM> and a film member <NUM>.

The battery cell <NUM> is a secondary battery, which may be a pouch-type secondary battery, a rectangular secondary battery or a cylindrical secondary battery. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the battery cell <NUM> is described as being a pouch-type secondary battery.

The battery cell <NUM> is provided in plural. The plurality of battery cells <NUM> is stacked to be electrically connected to each other.

The module case <NUM> accommodates the plurality of battery cells <NUM>. To this end, the module case <NUM> has an accommodation space for accommodating the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The module case <NUM> includes an inner cooling channel <NUM>.

The inner cooling channel <NUM> is provided at both sides of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> inside the module case <NUM>. The inner cooling channel <NUM> is disposed in communication with the cooling unit <NUM>, explained later.

The cooling unit <NUM> is for cooling the battery cells <NUM> and is provided in an air-cooling type. The cooling unit <NUM> is provided to the module case <NUM>, and supplies a cooling air toward the inner cooling channel <NUM> and discharges the cooling air out of the module case <NUM>.

The cooling unit <NUM> includes a cooling air supplying portion <NUM> and a cooling air discharging portion <NUM>.

The cooling air supplying portion <NUM> is provided at one side of the module case <NUM>, specifically at a front side of the module case <NUM>, and provides the cooling air toward the inner cooling channel <NUM>.

The cooling air supplying portion <NUM> may have a cooling supply fan for smoothly supplying the cooling air toward the inner cooling channel <NUM> of the module case <NUM>.

The cooling air discharging portion <NUM> is provided at the other side of the module case <NUM>, specifically at a rear side of the module case <NUM>, and discharges the cooling air in the inner cooling channel <NUM> to the outside of the module case <NUM>.

The cooling air discharging portion <NUM> may have a cooling discharge fan for smoothly discharging the cooling air of the inner cooling channel <NUM> in the module case <NUM>.

The cooling air discharging portion <NUM> may be disposed diagonally to the cooling air supplying portion <NUM> in the front and rear direction of the module case <NUM>. Accordingly, the cooling air may flow more smoothly in the entire inside of the module case <NUM>.

The opening <NUM> may be provided at both side surfaces of the module case <NUM> to face the inner cooling channel <NUM> of the module case <NUM>.

The opening <NUM> may be provided in plural at both side surfaces of the module case <NUM>, respectively, and may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a longitudinal direction along a longitudinal direction of the module case <NUM>.

The film member <NUM> is provided in a pair, and the pair of film members <NUM> is respectively provided at both side surfaces of the module case <NUM> to cover the at least one opening <NUM>, or the plurality of openings <NUM> respectively provided at both sides of the module case <NUM> in this embodiment.

The pair of film members <NUM> may have a size to cover all of the plurality of openings <NUM> respectively provided at both sides of the module case <NUM>. The pair of film members <NUM> seals the at least one opening <NUM>, or the plurality of openings <NUM> below a predetermined temperature and may be melted over the predetermined temperature to open at least one opening <NUM> among the plurality of openings <NUM> at least partially.

To this end, the pair of film members <NUM> may be made of a film or foam material that is vulnerable to a high temperature over the predetermined temperature. The pair of film members <NUM> may be melted at a high temperature over the predetermined temperature.

Hereinafter, the form of the battery module <NUM> in a cooled state and a high temperature situation according to this embodiment will be described in more detail.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a form of the battery module of <FIG> when being cooled.

Referring to <FIG>, when the battery module <NUM> is cooled, the cooling air supplying portion <NUM> of the cooling unit <NUM> may introduce an cooling air for cooling the battery cells <NUM> from the outside of the module case <NUM> into the module case <NUM>.

Then, the cooling air introduced into the module case <NUM> may cool the battery cells <NUM> while flowing through the inner cooling channel <NUM> of the module case <NUM>.

After that, the cooling air that cools the battery cells <NUM> may be discharged out of the module case <NUM> through the cooling air discharging portion <NUM> of the cooling unit <NUM>.

<FIG> are diagrams for illustrating a form of the battery module of <FIG> at a high temperature situation over a predetermined temperature.

Referring to <FIG>, in the battery module <NUM>, abnormal heating may occur in at least one battery cell <NUM> among the battery cells <NUM>. If abnormal heating continues, a high temperature situation may occur inside the module case <NUM>, and a high temperature gas and flame may be generated inside the module case <NUM>.

When such high temperature gas and flame is generated, the high temperature gas and flame may not be smoothly discharged out of the module case <NUM> just with the cooling air supplying portion <NUM> and the cooling air discharging portion <NUM>.

In this case, thermal runaway of any one battery cell propagates to adjacent battery cells, leading to explosion of the entire battery module, thereby causing a great damage.

However, in this embodiment, when high temperature gas and flame is generated in the module case <NUM> due to a high temperature situation, the pair of film members <NUM> are melted so that the plurality of openings <NUM> are exposed out of the module case <NUM>.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, since the high temperature gas and flame may be quickly discharged through the plurality of openings <NUM>, it is possible to prevent any problem that may lead to explosion of the entire battery module <NUM>, in advance.

As a result, in the battery module <NUM> according to this embodiment, the plurality of openings <NUM> and the pair of film members <NUM> may guide to form a cooling path for cooling the battery cells <NUM> under normal operating conditions, and may also quickly discharge the high temperature gas and flame inside the module case <NUM> to the outside under abnormal operating conditions such as thermal runaway.

Thus, the battery module <NUM> according to this embodiment may ensure both reliability and stability of the battery module <NUM> in both normal and abnormal operating environments.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a side view showing the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a form of the battery module of <FIG> at a high temperature situation over a predetermined temperature.

Since the battery module <NUM> according to this embodiment is similar to the battery module <NUM> of the former embodiment, hereinafter, the repeated description on a feature identical or similar to that of the former embodiment will be omitted, and the description will be mainly given based on differences from the former embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the battery module <NUM> may include a battery cell <NUM>, a module case <NUM>, a cooling unit <NUM>, a pair of film members <NUM>, and an opening <NUM>.

The battery cell <NUM>, the module case <NUM>, the cooling unit <NUM> and the pair of film members <NUM> are substantially identical or similar to those of the former embodiment, and thus their repeated descriptions will be omitted.

The opening <NUM> are provided in a pair, and the pair of openings <NUM> is provided to both side surfaces of the module case <NUM>, respectively. The pair of openings <NUM> may be provided in a mesh shape. Meanwhile, the pair of film members has a size to cover the pair of openings <NUM>, respectively.

As in this embodiment, the opening <NUM> may be provided in a mesh shape, instead of being provided in plural. When an abnormal situation such as thermal runaway occurs, the opening <NUM> in a mesh shape may also be exposed out through the melted film member <NUM> to quickly discharge high temperature gas and flame inside the module case <NUM> to the outside.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery rack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a battery rack <NUM> may include at least one battery module <NUM>, <NUM> according to the former embodiment and a rack case <NUM> for packaging the at least one battery module <NUM>, <NUM>.

In addition, the battery rack <NUM> may be provided in other devices, instruments or facilities such as a vehicle a secondary battery, in addition to the energy storage system.

As described above, the battery rack <NUM> of this embodiment and devices, instruments or facilities such as an energy storage system or a vehicle, which have the battery rack <NUM>, include the battery module <NUM>, <NUM> as described above, and thus it is possible to implement a battery rack <NUM> having all the advantages of the battery module <NUM>, <NUM> described above, or devices, instruments, facilities or the like such as an energy storage system or a vehicle, which have the battery rack <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A battery module (<NUM>, <NUM>), comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (<NUM>);
a module case (<NUM>) configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells (<NUM>) stacked to be electrically connected to each other from a front side to a rear side of module case (<NUM>), the module case (<NUM>) having a first and a second inner cooling channel (<NUM>), the first inner cooling channel (<NUM>) extending from the front side to the rear side between a first side wall of the module case (<NUM>) and a first side of the stacked battery cells (<NUM>) and the second inner cooling channel (<NUM>) extending from the front side to the rear side between a second side wall of the module case (<NUM>) opposite the first side wall and a second side of the stacked battery cells (<NUM>) opposite the first side of the stacked battery cells (<NUM>);
at least one opening (<NUM>, <NUM>) provided at both side walls of the module case (<NUM>) to face the inner cooling channels (<NUM>) of the module case (<NUM>);
a pair of film members (<NUM>) mounted to both side walls of the module case (<NUM>) to cover the at least one opening (<NUM>), the pair of film members (<NUM>) being melted over a predetermined temperature to open the at least one opening (<NUM>); and
a cooling unit (<NUM>) including:
a cooling air supplying portion (<NUM>) provided at the front side of the module case (<NUM>) to provide the cooling air toward the first inner cooling channel (<NUM>), and
a cooling air discharging portion (<NUM>) provided at the rear side of the module case (<NUM>) to discharge the cooling air in the second inner cooling channel (<NUM>) to the outside of the module case (<NUM>).