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 having at least one battery cell first, and then configure a battery pack by using at least one battery module and adding other components.

In the conventional battery module, it is particularly important to cool the battery module in terms of overall performance and lifetime. In the conventional battery module, the battery cells of the battery module are generally cooled using an edge cooling method, which is performed by providing a heat transfer path or the like to the end of the battery cells.

However, in the conventional edge cooling method, a cooling temperature deviation is generated at any one battery cell or between a plurality of battery cells. The cooling temperature deviation is a major factor in reducing the performance of the entire battery module or shortening the life of the battery module.

Therefore, it is required to find a way to improve the cooling temperature deviation of the battery cells when the battery module is cooled.

Relevant prior art includes documents <CIT> and <CIT>.

The present disclosure is directed to providing a battery module, which may improve the cooling temperature deviation of battery cells when the battery module is cooled, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

According to the present invention, there is provided a battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery cells; and a module case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells and filled with an insulating oil therein to a predetermined height, wherein the insulating oil fills the inside of the module case in an amount covering an entire volume of the battery cells and is disposed to be spaced apart from an inner wall of one side of the module case by a predetermined distance.

The battery module comprises a plurality of channel guide members respectively disposed between the plurality of battery cells so that facing battery cells are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

The plurality of channel guide members may form a cooling channel of a lattice shape between the facing battery cells.

The plurality of channel guide members may form at least one cooling channel having a predetermined length along a height direction of the module case between the facing battery cells.

The plurality of channel guide members may be arranged in a zigzag form in a stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells.

The plurality of channel guide members is made of an elastic pad.

The plurality of channel guide members may have double-sided tapes at surfaces thereof so as to be attached to the facing battery cells, respectively.

The insulating oil may be disposed to be spaced apart from an inner wall of an upper side of the module case by a predetermined distance.

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

Moreover, the present disclosure provides a vehicle, comprising at least one battery pack according to the above embodiment.

According to various embodiments as above, it is possible to provide a battery module, which may improve the cooling temperature deviation of battery cells when the battery module is cooled, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative only for better understanding of the present disclosure, and that the present disclosure may be modified in various ways, without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams for illustrating a channel guide member of the battery module of <FIG>, <FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a channel guide member according to another embodiment of the battery module of <FIG>, and <FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams for illustrating the flow of an insulating oil in the battery module of <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, according to the invention, a battery module <NUM> includes a battery cell <NUM>, a module case <NUM>, an insulating oil <NUM>, and a channel guide member <NUM>. The battery module <NUM> may include a bus bar unit <NUM>.

The battery cell <NUM> may be a secondary battery, particularly a pouch-type secondary battery. In addition, the battery cell <NUM> may also be a cylindrical secondary battery or a rectangular secondary battery.

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the battery cell <NUM> will be described as a pouch-type secondary battery.

The battery cell <NUM> is provided in plural. The plurality of battery cells <NUM> may be stacked to be electrically connected to each other. Specifically, the plurality of battery cells <NUM> may be electrically connected to each other through a bus bar unit <NUM>, explained later.

Each of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> may include an electrode assembly, a battery case for accommodating the electrode assembly, and an electrode lead <NUM> protruding out of the battery case and connected to the electrode assembly.

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

The module case <NUM> may be made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity for effective heat dissipation. As an example, the module case <NUM> may be made of aluminum.

In addition, the inside of the module case <NUM> is filled with an insulating oil <NUM>, explained later, for cooling the plurality of battery cells <NUM> to a predetermined height.

The module case <NUM> may include a case body <NUM> and a case cover <NUM>.

The case body <NUM> may accommodate the plurality of battery cells <NUM> and various components of the battery module <NUM>. The case body <NUM> may be filled with the insulating oil <NUM>, explained later.

The case cover <NUM> may be coupled to the case body <NUM> to package the plurality of battery cells <NUM>. Here, the case cover <NUM> may be coupled to the case body <NUM> by laser welding or the like.

The insulating oil <NUM> is for cooling the plurality of battery cells <NUM> and is filled in the case body <NUM> of the module case <NUM> in an amount covering the entire volume of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The insulating oil <NUM> may be a liquid material having a high heat capacity. For example, the insulating oil <NUM> may be a synthetic insulating oil such as a petroleum-based insulating oil, a silicone oil and a chlorinated oil, or a vegetable insulating oil.

Since the insulating oil <NUM> is filled to cover the entire area of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>, the insulating oil <NUM> may be in contact with almost all sides of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>. In this embodiment, it is possible to effectively suppress the temperature rise in certain areas of the battery cells <NUM> by means of the insulating oil <NUM> that contacts almost all sides of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The insulating oil <NUM> is disposed to be spaced apart from an inner wall of one side of the module case <NUM>, specifically an inner wall of an upper side of the case cover <NUM> of the module case <NUM>, by a predetermined distance. In this case, it is possible to prevent the structural stability of the module case <NUM> from deteriorating due to expansion of the insulating oil <NUM> when the temperature is increased due to heat generation of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The bus bar unit <NUM> is for measuring a voltage or the like of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> and covers at least one side of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>. The bus bar unit <NUM> may be electrically connected to the electrode leads <NUM> of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

The channel guide member <NUM> is for guiding the flow of the insulating oil <NUM>, and is provided in plural. The plurality of channel guide members <NUM> are respectively disposed between the plurality of battery cells <NUM> and allow facing battery cells <NUM> to be spaced by a predetermined distance.

The plurality of channel guide members <NUM> are made of an elastic pad having a predetermined elasticity and may be attached to the battery case of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> by an adhesive or the like. For example, the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> may be made of silicon pads having predetermined elasticity. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it is also possible that the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> are be made of elastic pads of other materials having a predetermined elasticity, which are already commercially available or are to be commercially available.

Meanwhile, the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> may have double-sided tapes on both surfaces thereof so as to be respectively attached to the battery cases of the facing battery cells <NUM>. Also, the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> themselves may be made of double-sided tapes with a predetermined thickness so as to be respectively attached to the battery cases of the facing battery cells <NUM>.

The plurality of channel guide members <NUM> may form a cooling channel <NUM> of a lattice shape between the facing battery cells <NUM>. The plurality of channel guide members <NUM> may be arranged in a zigzag form in the stack direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of battery cells <NUM>.

By means of the plurality of channel guide members <NUM>, the cooling channels <NUM> may be formed at regular intervals in the spaces between the plurality of battery cells <NUM>. Accordingly, the insulating oil <NUM> heated while the plurality of battery cells <NUM> generate heat may be smoothly moved upward by the convection, and the heat exchange may be more uniformly performed between all the battery cells <NUM>.

Thus, when the plurality of battery cells <NUM> generate heat, the cooling temperature deviation may be substantially not generated between the battery cells <NUM> disposed at the outermost side and the battery cells <NUM> disposed near the center.

The shape and arrangement of the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> are not limited thereto. As shown in <FIG>, the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> may also form at least one cooling channel <NUM> having a predetermined length along the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the module case <NUM> between the facing battery cells <NUM>.

That is, the plurality of channel guide members may have shapes and arrangements capable of forming other types of cooling channels, as long as the smooth flow of the insulating oil <NUM> is guided by convection and the cooling temperature deviation of all the battery cells <NUM> is reduced.

As described above, in this embodiment, the plurality of battery cells <NUM> are arranged to surround all of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> so that the cooling temperature deviation of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> while the plurality of battery cells <NUM> is cooled may be significantly reduced by means of the insulating oil <NUM> and the plurality of channel guide members <NUM> that guide the flow of the insulating oil <NUM>.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, as the cooling temperature deviation of the plurality of battery cells <NUM> is improved, it is possible to enhance the overall performance and lifetime of the battery module <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a diagram for illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

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

The battery pack <NUM> may be provided to a vehicle V as a fuel source of the vehicle V. As an example, the battery pack <NUM> may be provided to an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and various other-type vehicles V capable of using the battery pack <NUM> as a fuel source.

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

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

Claim 1:
A battery module, comprising:
a plurality of battery cells;
a module case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells and filled with an insulating oil therein to a predetermined height,
wherein the insulating oil fills the inside of the module case in an amount covering an entire volume of the battery cells and is disposed to be spaced apart from an inner wall of one side of the module case by a predetermined distance; and
a plurality of channel guide members respectively disposed between the plurality of battery cells so that facing battery cells are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance,
wherein the plurality of channel guide members are made of an elastic pad.