Patent Description:
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 pack by using at least one battery module and adding other components. Here, according to various voltage and capacity requirements, an energy storage system may be configured to include at least one battery pack that includes at least one battery module.

In the conventional battery module, when a thermal runaway occurs in the battery module, the thermal runaway is continuously transferred among the battery cells inside the battery module, thereby damaging all battery cells.

Therefore, there is a need to find a technique for blocking a thermal runaway when the thermal runaway occurs. <CIT> discloses a battery pack comprising extinguishment unit. <CIT> discloses a fire extinguisher in sodium-sulfur battery. <CIT> discloses an electric power storage system. <CIT> discloses a battery box automatic fire extinguishing device.

The present disclosure is directed to providing a battery module, which may block a thermal runaway when the thermal runaway occurs, and a battery rack and an energy storage system including such a battery module.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module, comprising: at least one battery cell; a module case configured to accommodate the at least one battery cell; a fire extinguishing unit disposed at least partially inside the module case and adapted to be connected to a fire extinguishing tank unit containing a fire extinguishing agent to inject the fire extinguishing agent directly into the module case when a thermal runaway or fire occurs in the at least one battery cell; and an insulation cover configured to cover the fire extinguishing unit at least partially and disposed at least partially inside the module case.

The insulation cover is mounted to a rear surface of the module case, and the rear surface of the module case may have an insulation cover mounting portion so that the insulation cover is mounted thereto.

The fire extinguishing unit may at least partially pass through the module case and be disposed at an inner side of the insulation cover inside the module case.

The insulation cover includes a cover base mounted to the rear surface of the module case; a cover cap configured to protrude by a predetermined length into the module case from the cover base; and an injection guider formed at the cover cap to guide the fire extinguishing agent of the fire extinguishing unit to be injected.

The insulation cover has a hot air hole formed in the cover cap and provided at a side opposite to the injection guider.

The injection guider may include a plurality of guide ribs formed by a predetermined length along a longitudinal direction of the cover cap and disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to form a plurality of openings.

The fire extinguishing unit may include a unit body adapted to be connected to the fire extinguishing tank unit; and an injection nozzle provided to the unit body to inject the fire extinguishing agent toward the battery cell inside the module case.

The injection nozzle may include a nozzle body connected to the unit body and having an injection hole for injecting the fire extinguishing agent; and a glass bulb provided to the nozzle body and configured to cover the injection hole, the glass bulb being separated from the injection hole or at least partially broken to open the injection hole when the inside of the module case is exposed to an internal gas above a predetermined temperature.

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

Moreover, the present disclosure provides an energy storage system, comprising at least one battery rack according to the former embodiment.

According to various embodiments as above, it is possible to provide a battery module, which may block a thermal runaway when the thermal runaway occurs due to an abnormal situation, and a battery rack and an energy storage system including such a battery module.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a rear perspective view showing the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a partially exploded 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 fire extinguishing unit <NUM> and an insulation cover <NUM>.

The battery cell <NUM> is a secondary battery and may be provided as a pouch-type secondary battery, a rectangular secondary battery or a cylindrical secondary battery. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it will be described that the battery cell <NUM> is a pouch-type secondary battery.

One battery cell <NUM> or a plurality of battery cells <NUM> may be provided. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it will be described that a plurality of battery cells <NUM> are provided.

The module case <NUM> may accommodate the at least one battery cell <NUM> or the plurality of battery cells <NUM> therein. For this, the module case <NUM> may have an accommodation space for accommodating the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The module case <NUM> may have an insulation cover mounting portion <NUM>.

The insulation cover mounting portion <NUM> is provided at the rear of the module case <NUM> and may have an opening of a predetermined size. An insulation cover <NUM> may be mounted to the insulation cover mounting portion <NUM> so that the fire extinguishing unit <NUM>, explained later, is mounted through the insulation cover <NUM>.

The fire extinguishing unit <NUM> is at least partially disposed inside the module case <NUM> and is connected to a fire extinguishing tank unit T (see <FIG>) containing a fire extinguishing agent, and the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> may inject the fire extinguishing agent directly into the module case <NUM> when a thermal runaway or fire occurs at the at least one battery cell <NUM>. As an example, the fire extinguishing agent may be water.

The fire extinguishing unit <NUM> may be connected to the fire extinguishing tank unit T through a fire extinguishing agent supply pipe <NUM>. The fire extinguishing unit <NUM> may be disposed to be at least partially surrounded by the insulation cover <NUM>, explained later, inside the module case <NUM>. That is, the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> may at least partially pass through the module case <NUM> and be disposed at an inner side of the insulation cover <NUM>, explained later, inside the module case <NUM>.

In this embodiment, since the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> injects the fire extinguishing agent directly into the module case <NUM>, when a fire occurs at the battery cells <NUM> in the battery module <NUM>, the fire may be extinguished more quickly and effectively at an early stage.

Hereinafter, the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> and the insulation cover <NUM> covering the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> according to this embodiment will be described in more detail.

<FIG> is an enlarged view showing a main part of the battery module of <FIG>, <FIG> is a partially exploded perspective view showing the battery module of <FIG>, <FIG> are diagrams for illustrating an insulation cover of the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a sectional view showing a main part of the battery module of <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> may include a unit body <NUM> and an injection nozzle <NUM>.

The unit body <NUM> may be connected to the fire extinguishing tank unit T (see <FIG>). Specifically, the unit body <NUM> has an internal channel for storage and flow of the fire extinguishing agent and may be connected to the fire extinguishing tank unit T (see <FIG>), explained later, through the fire extinguishing agent supply pipe <NUM>.

The injection nozzle <NUM> is provided to the unit body <NUM> and may be disposed at the inner side of the module case <NUM> to inject the fire extinguishing agent toward the battery cells <NUM> inside the module case <NUM>.

The injection nozzle <NUM> may include a nozzle body <NUM> and a glass bulb <NUM>.

The nozzle body <NUM> is connected to the unit body <NUM>, and specifically, may be mounted to the unit body <NUM> to communicate with the internal channel of the unit body <NUM>.

The nozzle body <NUM> may have an injection hole <NUM>.

The injection hole <NUM> is for injection of the fire extinguishing agent and may communicate with the internal channel of the unit body <NUM>. When the injection hole <NUM> is opened, the fire extinguishing agent may be injected to the outside.

The glass bulb <NUM> is provided to the nozzle body <NUM> and is configured to cover the injection hole <NUM>. Also, when the module case <NUM> is exposed to an internal gas above a predetermined temperature, the glass bulb <NUM> may be configured to be separated from the injection hole <NUM> or at least partially broken to open the injection hole <NUM>.

The glass bulb <NUM> is filled with a predetermined substance such as a predetermined liquid or gas. Such a predetermined material may have a property of increasing the volume as the temperature increases. Specifically, the glass bulb <NUM> may be broken due to the volume expansion of the predetermined material, melted, or separated from the nozzle body <NUM> above a predetermined temperature, for example <NUM> to <NUM> or higher to open the injection hole <NUM>.

The insulation cover <NUM> is for protecting the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> and may be configured to cover the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> at least partially. Also, the insulation cover <NUM> may be at least partially disposed inside the module case <NUM>. Specifically, the insulation cover <NUM> is mounted to a rear surface of the module case <NUM> and may be disposed to cover the injection nozzle <NUM> of the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> at least partially.

The insulation cover <NUM> may be made of an insulating material. By means of the insulation cover <NUM>, it is possible to secure insulation between the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> and an internal circuit or the like inside the module case <NUM>.

The insulation cover <NUM> includes a cover base <NUM>, a cover cap <NUM>, an injection guider <NUM>, and a hot air hole <NUM>.

The cover base <NUM> is mounted to the rear surface of the module case <NUM>. Specifically, the cover base <NUM> may be mounted to the insulation cover mounting portion <NUM> of the module case <NUM>.

The cover cap <NUM> protrudes into the module case <NUM> from the cover base <NUM> by a predetermined length and may at least partially cover the injection nozzle <NUM> of the fire extinguishing unit <NUM>.

The injection guider <NUM> is formed at the cover cap <NUM> and guides the fire extinguishing agent of the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> to be injected. The injection guider <NUM> may be formed to open a front part and a side part of the cover cap <NUM>.

The injection guider <NUM> may include a plurality of guide ribs <NUM>.

The plurality of guide ribs <NUM> may be formed to have a predetermined length along a longitudinal direction of the cover cap <NUM>, and may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to form a plurality of openings. The plurality of guide ribs <NUM> may guide air to be introduced into the cover cap <NUM> and guide the injection of the fire extinguishing agent when the fire extinguishing agent, explained later, is injected.

The hot air hole <NUM> is formed in the cover cap <NUM> and is provided at a side opposite to the injection guider <NUM>. At least one hot air hole <NUM> or a plurality of hot air holes <NUM> may be provided, and the hot air hole <NUM> may be provided in a hole shape of a predetermined size.

The hot air hole <NUM> may function as a hot air passage to ensure smooth heat transfer within the cover cap <NUM> of the insulation cover <NUM>. When a thermal runaway, explained later, occurs, the hot air hole <NUM> may secure smooth heat transfer inside the cover cap <NUM> of the insulation cover <NUM>, which may guide the glass bulb <NUM> to be broken, melted or separated over a predetermined temperature more quickly so that the injection hole <NUM> is opened for injection of the fire extinguishing agent.

Meanwhile, the battery module <NUM> may include a cooling air discharge unit <NUM> and a cooling air supply unit <NUM>.

The cooling air discharge unit <NUM> is disposed to be spaced apart from the insulation cover <NUM> and the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> by a predetermined distance, and may be formed at the rear surface of the module case <NUM>.

At the rear of the module case <NUM>, the cooling air discharge unit <NUM> may be provided at a side opposite to the insulation cover mounting portion <NUM>. A lower end of the cooling air discharge unit <NUM> may be provided to have a predetermined height from a lower end of the rear surface of the module case <NUM>.

The cooling air discharge unit <NUM> has a plurality of discharge holes and may be provided above the predetermined height. Accordingly, when the fire extinguishing agent is injected into the module case <NUM>, explained later, it is possible to secure a predetermined water level at which the fire extinguishing agent may be filled up to the predetermined height inside the module case <NUM>, thereby suppressing the thermal runaway or fire situation more effectively.

The cooling air supply unit <NUM> is provided at the front of the module case <NUM>, and may supply a cooling air into the module case <NUM> of the battery module <NUM> in order to cool the battery cells <NUM>. The cooling air supply unit <NUM> may be disposed diagonally to the cooling air discharge unit <NUM> in order to increase the cooling circulation efficiency.

Hereinafter, the fire extinguishing agent injection mechanism inside the module case <NUM> according to this embodiment when a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the battery module <NUM> will be described in more detail.

<FIG> are diagrams for illustrating a fire extinguishing agent injection mechanism inside a module case when a thermal runaway or fire occurs in the battery module of <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, a fire situation or a thermal runaway situation caused by overheating or the like may occur at the battery cells <NUM> inside the module case <NUM> of the battery module <NUM>, due to an abnormal situation of at least one battery cell <NUM>. If the fire or thermal runaway situation occurs, a high-temperature gas G may be generated inside the module case <NUM> due to an overheated battery cell <NUM>.

Due to the high-temperature gas G, the glass bulb <NUM> of the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> is broken or melted, or the glass bulb <NUM> is separated from the nozzle body <NUM>, thereby opening the injection hole <NUM> so that the fire extinguishing agent may be injected. As the injection hole <NUM> is opened, the fire extinguishing agent W, namely water W, inside the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> may be immediately and directly injected toward the battery cells <NUM>.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, when a fire situation or a thermal runaway situation occurs in the battery module <NUM>, the fire extinguishing agent is immediately and directly injected toward the battery cells <NUM> inside the module case <NUM> by means of the fire extinguishing unit <NUM>, thereby suppressing the fire situation or the thermal runaway situation more quickly at an early stage.

Therefore, in this embodiment, since the fire situation or the thermal runaway situation is suppressed more quickly at an early stage, it is possible to more effectively prevent the occurrence of a dangerous situation such as a secondary explosion caused by heat or flame transfer to neighboring battery cells <NUM> in advance.

<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 a plurality of battery modules <NUM> of the former embodiment, a rack case <NUM> for accommodating the plurality of battery modules <NUM>, and a fire extinguishing agent supply pipe <NUM> connected to the plurality of battery modules <NUM>.

The fire extinguishing agent supply pipe <NUM> may communicate with the fire extinguishing unit <NUM> and the fire extinguishing tank unit T (see <FIG>), explained later, so that when an abnormal situation such as fire occurs in at least one of the plurality of battery modules <NUM>, the fire extinguishing agent of the extinguishing tank unit T may be guided to be supplied toward the battery module <NUM> where the abnormal situation has occurred.

Since the battery rack <NUM> according to this embodiment includes the battery module <NUM> of the former embodiment, the battery rack <NUM> may have all the advantages of the battery module <NUM> of the former embodiment.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, an energy storage system E may be used for home or industrial use, as an energy source. The energy storage system E may include at least one battery rack <NUM> of the former embodiment, or a plurality of battery racks <NUM> in the case of this embodiment, and a rack container C for accommodating the plurality of battery racks <NUM>.

The rack container C may include the fire extinguishing tank unit T for supplying the fire extinguishing agent to the plurality of battery racks <NUM>. The fire extinguishing tank unit T is filled with the fire extinguishing agent, namely water. The fire extinguishing tank unit T may be connected to the plurality of battery racks <NUM> through the fire extinguishing agent supply pipe <NUM> to supply the fire extinguishing water toward the plurality of battery racks <NUM>.

Since the energy storage system E according to this embodiment includes the battery rack <NUM> of the former embodiment, the energy storage system E may have all the advantages of the battery rack <NUM> of the former embodiment.

According to various embodiments as described above, it is possible to provide a battery module <NUM> capable of extinguishing a thermal runaway or fire more quickly at an early stage more quickly when a thermal runaway occurs inside the battery module <NUM> or a fire occurs due to the thermal runaway, and to provide a battery rack <NUM> including the battery module <NUM> and an energy storage system E including the battery rack <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A battery module (<NUM>), comprising:
at least one battery cell (<NUM>);
a module case (<NUM>) configured to accommodate the at least one battery cell (<NUM>);
a fire extinguishing unit (<NUM>) disposed at least partially inside the module case (<NUM>) and adapted to be connected to a fire extinguishing tank unit (T) containing a fire extinguishing agent to inject the fire extinguishing agent directly into the module case (<NUM>) when a thermal runaway or fire occurs in the at least one battery cell (<NUM>); and
an insulation cover (<NUM>) configured to cover the fire extinguishing unit (<NUM>) at least partially and disposed at least partially inside the module case (<NUM>),
wherein the insulation cover (<NUM>) is mounted to a rear surface of the module case (<NUM>), and
the rear surface of the module case (<NUM>) has an insulation cover mounting portion (<NUM>) so that the insulation cover (<NUM>) is mounted thereto,
wherein the insulation cover (<NUM>) includes:
a cover base (<NUM>) mounted to the rear surface of the module case (<NUM>);
a cover cap (<NUM>) configured to protrude by a predetermined length into the module case (<NUM>) from the cover base (<NUM>); and
an injection guider (<NUM>) formed at the cover cap (<NUM>) to guide the fire extinguishing agent of the fire extinguishing unit (<NUM>) to be injected,
characterized in that the insulation cover (<NUM>) has a hot air hole (<NUM>) formed in the cover cap (<NUM>) and provided at a side opposite to the injection guider (<NUM>).