CN116936994A

CN116936994A - Battery system and vehicle including the same

Info

Publication number: CN116936994A
Application number: CN202310439244.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·埃尔哈特
Original assignee: Samsung SDI Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung SDI Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-04-22
Filing date: 2023-04-23
Publication date: 2023-10-24

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a battery system and a vehicle including the same. The battery system includes: a plurality of cell rows (810, 820, 830), each cell row comprising a plurality of cells (80) arranged in a row extending along a first direction (X) _ij ) The method comprises the steps of carrying out a first treatment on the surface of the A plurality of cooler beams (20) _k ) The method comprises the steps of carrying out a first treatment on the surface of the And a channel system comprising a plurality of main channels (30 _k ) Each main channel is configured for guiding a coolant (F). Each monomer row (810, 820, 830) is subdivided into a plurality of blocks. For each block, the front side of the block is positively abutted against the cooler beam (20 _k ) The second side (22 b) of one of the beams, and/or the rear side of the block is positively abutted against the first side (22 a) of the other of the beams. For each cooler beam (20 _k ) Main channel (30) _k ) Is integrated in and thermally connected to the cooler beam.

Description

Battery system and vehicle including the same

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a battery system having improved cooling characteristics and including a plurality of cell rows (cell rows) of a plurality of coolers Liang Hengjie. Further, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle including the battery system.

Background

In recent years, vehicles for transporting goods and personnel using electric power as a power source have been developed. Such electric vehicles are automobiles that are driven by an electric motor using energy stored in a rechargeable battery. The electric vehicle may be powered by the battery alone or may be in the form of a hybrid vehicle that is otherwise powered by, for example, a gasoline generator or a hydrogen fuel cell. Further, the vehicle may include a combination of an electric motor and a conventional internal combustion engine. Generally, an Electric Vehicle Battery (EVB) or traction battery is a battery used to power the propulsion of a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV). Electric vehicle batteries differ from starter batteries, lighting batteries, and ignition batteries in that they are designed to provide power for a sustained period of time. Rechargeable batteries or secondary batteries differ from primary batteries in that they can be repeatedly charged and discharged, the latter providing only an irreversible conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Low-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power sources for small electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and video cameras, while high-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power sources for electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and the like.

In general, a rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed therebetween, a case receiving the electrode assembly, and an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly. An electrolyte solution is injected into the case so as to enable the battery to be charged and discharged through electrochemical reactions of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte solution. The shape of the shell (e.g., cylindrical or prismatic) depends on the intended use of the battery. Lithium ion (and similar lithium polymer) batteries, which are widely known for their use in laptop computers and consumer electronics, dominate the newly developed group of electric vehicles.

Rechargeable batteries may be used as battery modules formed of a plurality of unit cells coupled in series and/or parallel, thereby providing high energy capacity, particularly for motor driving of hybrid vehicles or all-electric vehicles. That is, the battery module is formed by interconnecting electrode terminals of a plurality of unit cells depending on the amount of electricity required and in order to realize a high-power rechargeable battery.

The battery module may be constructed in a block design or a modular design. In a block design, each cell is coupled to a common current collector structure and a common battery management system, and its units are arranged in a housing. In a modular design, a plurality of battery cells are connected to form a sub-module, and several sub-modules are connected to form a battery module. In automotive applications, a battery system is typically constructed of a plurality of battery modules connected in series to provide a desired voltage. Wherein the battery module may include a sub-assembly having a plurality of stacked battery cells, each stack including cells (XpYs) connected in parallel or cells (XsYp) connected in series.

The battery pack is a group of any number (preferably identical) of battery modules. They may be configured in series, parallel, or a mixture of both to provide a desired voltage, capacity, or power density. The components of the battery pack include individual battery modules and interconnections providing electrical conductivity therebetween.

The battery system also includes a Battery Management System (BMS), which is any electronic system that manages rechargeable batteries, battery modules, and battery packs, such as by protecting the batteries from operation outside of their safe operating areas, monitoring their status, calculating secondary data, reporting the data, controlling their environment, authenticating them, and/or balancing them. For example, the BMS may monitor the battery state represented by voltage (such as the total voltage of the battery pack or the battery module, the voltage of each cell), temperature (such as the average temperature of the battery pack or the battery module, the coolant inlet temperature, the coolant outlet temperature, or the temperature of each cell), coolant flow (such as flow rate, cooling liquid pressure), and current. Further, the BMS may calculate values such as minimum and maximum cell voltages, state of charge (SOC) or depth of discharge (DOD) (for indicating a charge level of the battery), state of health (SOH; various defined measurements of remaining capacity of the battery as a percentage of original capacity), power state (SOP; amount of power available for a defined period of time assuming current power usage, temperature and other conditions), safety state (SOS), maximum charge current as a Charge Current Limit (CCL), maximum discharge current as a Discharge Current Limit (DCL), and internal impedance of the cell (for determining an open circuit voltage) based on the above items.

The BMS may be centralized such that a single controller is connected to the battery cells through a plurality of wires. The BMS may also be distributed, wherein a BMS board is installed at each cell, with only one communication cable between the battery and the controller. Or the BMS may have a modular construction including several controllers, each of which processes a certain number of cells, and communicates between the controllers. Centralized BMS is the most economical, least scalable, and suffers from a large number of wires. Distributed BMS is the most expensive, simplest to install, and provides the most neat components. Modular BMS provides a compromise of the features and problems of the other two topologies.

The BMS can protect the battery pack from operating outside its safe operating area. In the case of over-current, over-voltage (during charging), over-temperature, under-temperature, over-voltage, and ground fault or leakage current detection, operation outside of the safe operating region may be indicated. The BMS may prevent operation outside the safe operation region of the battery by: including an internal switch (such as a relay or solid state device) that opens if the battery is operating outside its safe operating area; the device requesting connection to the battery reduces or even terminates use of the battery; and actively controlling the environment, such as by a heater, fan, air conditioner, or liquid cooling.

The mechanical integration of such a battery pack requires a proper mechanical connection between the various components of, for example, the battery module and between them and the support structure of the vehicle. These connections must remain functional and free from damage during the average service life of the battery system. Furthermore, installation space and interchangeability requirements must be met, especially in mobile applications.

The mechanical integration of the battery module may be accomplished by providing a carrier frame and by positioning the battery module on the carrier frame. The fixing of the battery cells or the battery module may be accomplished by fitting recesses in the frame or by mechanical interconnections such as bolts or screws. Alternatively, the battery module is restrained by fastening the side plates to the lateral sides of the carrier frame. In addition, the cap plate may be fixed at the top and under the battery module.

The carrier frame of the battery is mounted to the load-bearing structure of the vehicle. In case the battery pack should be fixed to the bottom of the vehicle, the mechanical connection may be established from the bottom side by means of e.g. bolts through the carrier frame of the battery pack. The frame is typically made of aluminum or aluminum alloy to reduce the overall weight of the construction.

Static control of battery power output and charging is inadequate in order to meet the dynamic power demands of the various powered devices connected to the battery system. Therefore, stable information exchange between the battery system and the controller of the electric device is required. Such information includes the actual state of charge (SoC) of the battery system, potential electrical performance, charging capability and internal impedance, and the actual or predicted power demand or remaining charge of the powered device. Accordingly, a battery system generally includes a Battery Management System (BMS) for obtaining and processing such information at a system level, and a plurality of Battery Module Managers (BMMs) which are part of battery modules of the system and obtain and process related information at a module level. In particular, BMS typically measures system voltage, system current, local temperatures at different locations within the system housing, and insulation resistance between the charged components and the system housing. In addition, the BMM generally measures the respective cell voltages and temperatures of the battery cells in the battery module.

Thus, a BMS/Battery Management Unit (BMU) is provided for managing a battery pack, such as by protecting a battery from operating outside its safe operating area, monitoring its status, calculating secondary data, reporting this data, controlling its environment, authenticating it, and/or balancing it.

In an abnormal operation state, the battery pack should be generally disconnected from a load connected to terminals of the battery pack. Accordingly, the battery system further includes a Battery Disconnect Unit (BDU) electrically connected between the battery module and the battery system terminals. Thus, the BDU is the primary interface between the battery pack and the electrical system of the vehicle. The BDU includes an electromechanical switch that opens or closes a high current path between the battery pack and the electrical system. The BDU provides feedback, such as voltage and current measurements, to a Battery Control Unit (BCU) accompanying the battery module. The BCU uses a low current path to control the switches in the BDU based on feedback received from the BDU. Thus, the main functions of the BDU may include controlling current between the battery pack and the electrical system as well as current sensing. The BDU may also manage additional functions such as external charging and pre-charging.

In order to provide thermal control of the battery pack, an active or passive thermal management system is required to safely use at least one battery module by efficiently dissipating, releasing and/or dissipating heat generated from its rechargeable battery. If the heat dissipation/release/dissipation is not sufficiently performed, a temperature deviation occurs between the respective battery cells such that the at least one battery module cannot generate a desired amount of electricity. Further, an increase in the internal temperature may cause an abnormal reaction to occur therein, so that the charge and discharge performance of the rechargeable battery is deteriorated and the life of the rechargeable battery is shortened. Therefore, monomer cooling for effectively dissipating/releasing/dissipating heat from the monomer is required.

Exothermic decomposition of the individual components may lead to so-called thermal runaway. In general, thermal runaway describes the process of accelerating as a result of a temperature increase, thereby releasing energy to further increase the temperature. Thermal runaway occurs in the event of a change in conditions in such a way that the temperature rises in such a way as to cause a further rise in temperature, the flow is switched onOften resulting in damaging results. In rechargeable battery systems, thermal runaway is associated with a strong exothermic reaction that is accelerated by a temperature rise. These exothermic reactions involve the combustion of the combustible gas components within the battery enclosure. For example, when the monomer is heated above a critical temperature (typically, above 150 ℃), it may turn into thermal runaway. Initial heating may be caused by local faults such as internal cell shorts, heat generation from defective electrical contacts, shorts to neighboring cells. During thermal runaway, a failed cell (i.e., a cell with a partial failure) may reach a temperature exceeding 700 ℃. In addition, a large amount of hot gas is injected into the battery pack from the inside of the failed battery cell through the exhaust port of the cell case. The main component of the discharged gas being H ₂ 、CO ₂ CO, electrolyte vapors, and other hydrocarbons. Thus, the emitted gases are flammable and may be toxic. The discharged gas also causes the gas pressure inside the battery pack to rise.

Safety standards require that in the event of a severe thermal event (e.g., thermal runaway in one or more cells of the battery system), such as triggered by an internal cell short, no fire or flame occurs outside the battery pack beyond 5 minutes after the thermal event begins. In the future, users require that the fire or flame not occur at all ("stop propagating"). In the standard concept, monomer spacers are used to slow down the propagation from one monomer to the next. Such monomer spacers can extend the propagation time to typically about 1 to 3 minutes. However, the monomer spacers typically do not stop propagating.

To meet new user requirements, it is necessary to stop propagation in the cell stack. With such standard spacers it is difficult (very high cost and packaging space) or impossible to achieve.

Thus, there is a need for a new concept of a battery system that allows to completely stop the heat propagation across the cells inside the battery system or at least allows a very long delay of the heat propagation (when connected to a system for providing coolant and to a detection system for detecting severe thermal events). There is also a need for a battery module that allows for the complete stopping of heat propagation across cells inside the battery system or at least allows for a very long delay in heat propagation. Further, there is a need for a vehicle having a battery system or battery module that meets new user requirements.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, as defined by the independent claims, to overcome or reduce at least the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide (i) a battery system allowing to completely stop the heat propagation across the cells inside the battery system or at least allowing a very long delay of the heat propagation (when connected to a system for providing a coolant and to a detection system for detecting severe heat events), to provide (ii) a battery module allowing to completely stop the heat propagation across the cells inside the battery system or at least allowing a very long delay of the heat propagation, and to provide (iii) a vehicle having a battery system or a battery module meeting new user requirements.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is defined by the claims. The following description is subject to this limitation. Any disclosure outside the scope of the claims is intended only for illustrative purposes and for comparison purposes.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a battery system is disclosed. The battery system includes: a plurality of cell rows, each cell row including a plurality of cells arranged in a row extending along a first direction; a plurality of chiller beams; and a channel system comprising a plurality of main channels. Each primary channel is configured to direct a coolant. Each cell has a substantially prismatic shape bounded by a planar front face and a planar rear face each disposed perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the first direction, wherein the front face is disposed in front of the rear face for each cell when viewed in the first direction. The prismatic shape of each cell is further limited with respect to the second direction by the first side and the second side and with respect to the third direction by the top and bottom sides. Each cell row is subdivided into a plurality of blocks, each block comprising at least one cell, each block having a front side and a back side, wherein the front side is formed from the front of a first cell of the at least one cell of the block and the back side is formed from the back of a last cell of the at least one cell of the block when viewed in the first direction. Each cooler beam is bounded by a planar first side and a planar second side with respect to a first direction. Each of the first side and the second side is arranged perpendicular to the first direction, and the first side is arranged in front of the second side when viewed in the first direction. For each block, the front side of the block is positively abutted against the second side of one of the plurality of cooler beams and/or the rear side of the block is positively abutted against the first side of the other of the plurality of cooler beams. Furthermore, for each cooler beam, one of said plurality of main channels is integrated in and thermally connected to this cooler beam.

A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a vehicle comprising at least one battery system according to the first aspect.

Further aspects of the present disclosure may be gleaned from the dependent claims or the following description.

Drawings

Features will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic top view of a first exemplary embodiment of a battery system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an exemplary design of a battery cell that may be used in embodiments of the disclosed battery system;

fig. 3 is a schematic top view of a second exemplary embodiment of a battery system according to the invention;

fig. 4 is a schematic top view of a third exemplary embodiment of a battery system according to the invention;

FIG. 5A schematically illustrates a cross-sectional cut through an example of a chiller beam that may be used in a battery system according to the present disclosure;

fig. 5B schematically illustrates a cross-sectional cut through another example of a cooler beam that may be used in a battery system according to the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Effects and features of exemplary embodiments and methods of implementing the same will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same elements, and a repetitive description will be omitted. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

Thus, processes, elements and techniques that are deemed unnecessary to a person of ordinary skill in the art for a complete understanding of aspects and features of the present disclosure may not be described. In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements, layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Furthermore, when describing embodiments of the present disclosure, the use of "may" refers to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure, singular terms may include plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

It will be understood that, although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. When following a column of elements, expressions such as "at least one of … …" modify the entire column of elements, rather than modifying individual elements of the column.

As used herein, the terms "substantially," "about," and the like are used as approximate terms, are not used as degree terms, and are intended to illustrate inherent deviations in measured or calculated values as would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, if the term "substantially" is used in combination with a feature that can be expressed in numerical terms, the term "substantially" means a range of ±5% of the value centered on the value.

It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes … …" or "including … …" specify the presence of stated features, regions, fixed amounts, steps, processes, elements, components, and so forth, but do not preclude the presence of other features, regions, fixed amounts, steps, processes, elements, components, and so forth.

It will also be understood that when a film, region, or element is referred to as being "on" or "over" another film, region, or element, it can be directly on the other film, region, or element, or intervening films, regions, or elements may also be present.

For ease of description, a Cartesian coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis may also be provided in at least some of the figures. Here, the terms "upper" and "lower" are defined according to the x-axis. For example, the upper cover is located at an upper portion of the z-axis, while the lower cover is located at a lower portion of the z-axis. In the drawings, the size of elements may be exaggerated for clarity. For example, in the drawings, the size or thickness of each element may be arbitrarily shown for illustrative purposes, and thus the embodiments of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited thereto.

In the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure, singular terms may include plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

An electronic or electrical device and/or any other related device or component according to embodiments of the disclosure described herein may be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., application specific integrated circuits), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. In addition, various components of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit film, tape Carrier Package (TCP), printed Circuit Board (PCB), or formed on one substrate. The electrical connections or interconnections described herein may be implemented by wires or conductive elements, for example, on a PCB or another circuit carrier. The conductive elements may include metallization (e.g., surface metallization) and/or pins, and/or may include conductive polymers or ceramics. Further, electrical energy may be transmitted via a wireless connection (e.g., using electromagnetic radiation and/or light).

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and/or the present specification and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

General conception

With a longitudinally mounted cooler (cooler beam), the cooler beam itself can be used to block heat propagation from one cell to the next. The cooler beams may be used for standard monomer cooling, or as elements to prevent propagation in the event of thermal runaway.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a battery system includes: a plurality of cell rows, each cell row including a plurality of cells arranged in a row extending along a first direction; a plurality of chiller beams; and a channel system comprising a plurality of main channels, each main channel configured for guiding a coolant, wherein each cell having a substantially prismatic shape is defined by a flat front face and a flat rear face with respect to a first direction, the flat front face and the flat rear face each being arranged perpendicular to the first direction, wherein when viewed in the first direction: for each cell, the front face is disposed in front of the rear face; the prismatic shape of each cell is further defined by a first side and a second side with respect to the second direction and by a top surface and a bottom surface with respect to the third direction, wherein each cell row is subdivided into a plurality of blocks, each block comprising at least one cell, and each block having a front side and a back side, wherein the front side is formed by the front face of a first cell of the at least one cell of this block, and the back side is formed by the back face of a last cell of the at least one cell of this block, wherein each cooler beam is defined by a flat first side and a flat second side with respect to the first direction, each of the first side and the second side is arranged perpendicular to the first direction, and the first side is arranged in front of the second side when viewed in the first direction, wherein, for each block, the front side of this block is explicitly abutted against the second side of one of the plurality of cooler beams, and/or the back side of this block is explicitly abutted against the back face of a last cell of the at least one of the plurality of cooler beams, wherein, for each cooler beam is integrated into the cooling beam, and is connected to the cooling beam in this one of the plurality of cooling beams.

In such an arrangement, at least one of the front and rear sides of each block is thermally connected to the first or second side of the cooler beam and is therefore directed by the cooler Liang Lengque as coolant is directed through the main channel of the cooler beam. Furthermore, due to the thermal insulation of the bottom surface of the monomer, heat transfer from the monomer affected by a heated event (such as thermal runaway) to (the base of) the carrier system is avoided or at least delayed and/or reduced.

The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction may be defined with reference to linear axes of a three-dimensional coordinate system. The coordinate system may be a cartesian coordinate system. In particular, the coordinate system may have a first axis x, a second axis y, and a third axis z. Thus, the first direction may point in the direction of the first axis x, the second direction may point in the direction of the second axis y, and the third direction may point in the direction of the third axis z. Thus, the term "extending along a first direction" in relation to a certain object or entity may mean that the object or entity extends parallel to the first axis x. Correspondingly, this may apply to the second direction with respect to the second axis y and the third direction with respect to the third axis z.

With respect to the flat sides of the first and second objects, the expression "explicitly abutting against (positively abut against)" may mean that said flat sides of the first object extend along the same plane as said flat sides of the second object and that said flat sides of the first and second object are at least partly in contact with each other.

The term "cell" is an abbreviation for the expression "battery cell". The term "cell row" refers to a row of battery cells. A row of cells may also be referred to as a stack of cells, however, wherein the stack may be cross-sectioned, i.e., the pair of cells are spaced apart from each other at least for a pair of adjacent cells in the stack. The term "block" means a "monomer block" within a row of monomers, i.e. a block of several monomers arranged along a first direction. Herein, the "face" of the monomer is the outer side (outer side surface) of the prismatic monomer. The expression "substantially prismatic" particularly means that on at least one of the 6 faces (for example, an end face), further members such as wire bundles (terminals, etc.) can be arranged. Preferably, the monomers are identically shaped. Preferably, the monomer rows have the same number of monomers. Preferably, each monomer block comprises the same number of monomers. Preferably, each block comprises one monomer, or each block comprises two monomers. Preferably, the rows of cells are arranged spaced apart from each other with respect to the second direction. The term "coolant" refers to a cooling fluid. Preferably, each cooler Liang Hengjie is a single row. Preferably, in each cooler beam, the first side is spaced apart from the second side with respect to the first direction. Preferably, each cooler beam is made of or comprises a thermally conductive material.

The terminology used hereinafter is chosen to facilitate an understandability of the description and description used therein. The terms "front", "rear", "top", "bottom" and "front side" and "rear side" are chosen to facilitate an understandability of the description. They are in accordance with the figures and the coordinate system shown in the figures. It is clear that in the other orientation of the unitary cover, the viewing angle of the viewer must be adjusted accordingly. Throughout the following, expressions such as "front", "rear", "top" and "bottom" and "front" and "rear" may be replaced by terms such as "first", "second", "third" and "fourth" and (of a block) "first" and (of a block) "second" respectively. The term will then be completely independent of the spatial orientation of the device, however, understandability may be more difficult.

For each cell, the first and second terminals may be disposed on the top surface of that cell. Alternatively, however, for each cell, the first terminal and/or the second terminal may be arranged on the bottom surface of the cell or on one of its side surfaces.

The bottom and/or top surface of the monomer may have a flat shape or a substantially flat shape. Thus, with reference to the coordinate system defined above, the bottom surface and/or the top surface may extend parallel to the x-y plane. The first side and/or the second side may have a flat shape or a substantially flat shape. Thus, the bottom surface and/or the top surface may extend parallel to the x-z plane of the coordinate system. Furthermore, the front face and the top face may each extend parallel to a y-z plane of the coordinate system. Further, the base may have a flat shape or a substantially flat shape. The base may extend parallel to the x-y plane of the coordinate system.

In the cooler beams, the integrated primary channels may be in thermal contact with at least one of the first side and the second side of the respective cooler beam. In some or all of the cooler beams, the integrated primary channels may be in thermal contact with the first and second sides of the respective cooler beams. In at least some of the cooler beams (in particular, the first cooler beam and/or the last cooler beam when viewed in the first direction), the integrated primary channels may be in thermal contact with only one of the first side and the second side of the respective cooler beam.

Since each of the cell rows extends along the first direction, the plurality of cell rows are arranged parallel to each other. Further, the plurality of cell rows may be arranged along the second direction, in other words, the plurality of cell rows may be juxtaposed with each other along the second direction.

The main channel (system) may comprise a single channel or pipe or, alternatively, may comprise a plurality of (sub) channels or pipes. Thus, in particular, in view of the latter case, each main channel may also be generally referred to as a main channel system. For simplicity, the term "main channel" will be used throughout the description, even in the case where the main channel comprises a plurality of (sub) channels or pipes.

In one embodiment of the battery system, the battery system further comprises a carrier frame having a base, wherein each cell is arranged to be thermally insulated from the base.

The base may have a plate-like shape extending substantially perpendicular to the third direction. Further, for each cell, the bottom surface may face the base. Thus, the bottom surface of the single body is thermally insulated from the base.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each of the front and rear faces of a cell has a larger area than each of the first and second sides of the cell.

Any monomer abutting against the cooler beam then contacts the cooler beam with its large sides, which provides the greatest heat exchange between this monomer and the closely fitting cooler beam. When the cooler beams are cooled by coolant flowing through the main channel system integrated into this cooler beam, the monomer can be optimally cooled, since heat can be released from the monomer to the coolant through a large area.

In one embodiment of the battery system, for any two cells arranged adjacent to each other in the second direction, the sides of the two cells facing each other are thermally insulated from each other.

In other words, any two monomers arranged adjacent to each other in the second direction are thermally insulated from each other. In the event of a thermal event in one of the monomers, this helps to avoid or at least mitigate/attenuate heat propagation from the monomer affected by the thermal event to the adjacent monomer or monomers with respect to the second direction. In particular, in the event of thermal runaway in one monomer, the effect on the monomer adjacent to this monomer in the second direction may be avoided or at least delayed and/or reduced.

In one embodiment of the battery system, the thermal insulation of each cell from the base comprises an air gap or at least a portion of an air gap, or comprises an insulating layer.

In an embodiment of the battery system according to the first aspect, the thermal insulation between any two cells arranged adjacent to each other with respect to the second direction comprises an air gap or at least a part of an air gap, or comprises an insulating layer.

It is desirable to achieve optimal thermal insulation of the sides of the cells as well as the bottom of the cells (see above). In the best case, the thermal insulation is achieved by an air gap. However, if contact between two entities to be thermally insulated from each other cannot be completely avoided (e.g. due to the mechanical connection required for mechanical stability), the contact may be reduced to a minimum. However, layers comprising materials having relatively low thermal conductivities may also be employed to achieve excellent thermal insulation.

In a preferred embodiment, the front side of each intermediate block is positively abutted against the second side of one of the cooler beams, and the rear side of each intermediate block is positively abutted against the first side of the other of the cooler beams. Here and hereinafter, the term "middle block" refers to any block that is not the first block or the last block of a single row with respect to the first direction (i.e., when viewed in the first direction). Furthermore, the term "end block" shall refer to each of the first block and the last block in a monomer row with respect to the first direction (or equivalently, any block that is not an intermediate block as defined previously).

In a preferred embodiment, all blocks have the same size with respect to the first direction (in other words, all blocks have the same size when measured along the first direction). In a preferred embodiment, all blocks comprise the same amount of monomer. In a preferred embodiment, all of the monomers are of the same shape.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each cooler beam is positively abutted against one of the front and rear sides of at least one block of each cell row.

In the foregoing embodiment, each intercooler beam is arranged such that both its first side and second side are traversed by the longitudinal center axis of each monomer row. Here and in the following, the term "intercooler beam" refers to any cooler beam arranged between two blocks with respect to a first direction. Furthermore, the term "end cooler beam" shall refer to any one of the first and last cooler beams with respect to the first direction.

In a preferred embodiment, each cooler beam, except for the end cooler beams, is definitely abutted against one of the rear side of one block of each cell row and the front side (with respect to the first direction) of the next block of the cell row.

In a preferred embodiment, the first cooler beams are (with respect to the first direction) explicitly abutting (with their second sides) against the front side of the first block of each monomer row. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the last cooler beam (with respect to the first direction) is definitely abutting (with its first side) against the rear side of the last block of each monomer row.

In one embodiment of the battery system, all cell rows include the same number of blocks. Furthermore, when viewed in the first direction, for each individual row, the rear side of the first block is positively abutted against the first side of one of the cooler beams, and the front side of the last block is positively abutted against the second side of one of the cooler beams. For each block in one of the monomer rows arranged between the first block and the last block of that monomer row when viewed in the first direction, a front side of the block is clearly abutted against the second side of one of the cooler beams and a rear side of the block is clearly abutted against the first side of one of the cooler beams.

In the foregoing embodiment, each intermediate block abuts with its front side against a cooler beam and with its rear side against another cooler beam. Thus, each intermediate block is cooled at its front and rear sides when coolant is led through the main channels and thus through the cooler beams. Furthermore, any one of the end blocks abuts against the cooler beam with at least one of its front side and its rear side. Thus, each end block is cooled at least at one of its front and rear sides when coolant is directed through the main channels and thus through the cooler beams.

Preferably, with respect to the first direction, a first cooler beam is arranged in front of each first block, and the front side of each first block is definitely abutting against the second side of the first cooler beam. Preferably, with respect to the first direction, the last cooler beam is arranged behind each last block, and the rear side of each last block is definitely abutting against the first side of the last cooler beam. Thus, each end block is cooled at its front side and at its rear side as coolant is led through the main channels and thus through the cooler beams.

For any two adjacent cooler beams with respect to the first direction (i.e., for any two cooler beams arranged consecutively along the first direction), the cells arranged between the two adjacent cooler beams may be grouped together into one group (cell group), and the cells of this group may be electrically connected to each other. For each cell, the first terminal may be a negative terminal, the second terminal may be a positive terminal, or alternatively, the first terminal may be a positive terminal and the second terminal may be a negative terminal. Thus, in either case, for each group, the order (sequence) of the monomers may be defined (i.e., selected) such that the monomers in the group are ordered from the first monomer to the last monomer, and the second terminal of each monomer in the group may be connected to the first terminal of the next monomer in the group according to the selected number, except for the last monomer in the group. Thus, each terminal of any cell in the set is connected to another cell in the set, except for the first terminal of the first cell and the second terminal of the last cell. Further, a first terminal of a first cell in the group may be connected to a second terminal of a last cell of another group, or alternatively, may be used as a first terminal for a battery system. Further, the second terminal of the last cell in the group may be connected to the first terminal of the first cell of another group, or alternatively, may be used as the second terminal for the battery system. Thus, only one electrical connector is required to connect one cell group to another. Thus, any two cell groups that are adjacent with respect to the first direction (but separated from each other by a cooler beam) may be electrically connected to each other using a single electrical connector (such as a bus bar) that is directed such that it is thermally connected to the cooler beam between these adjacent cell groups. For example, this electrical connection abuts against the top side or the bottom side of the cooler beam. Alternatively, this electrical connection may be led through the cooler beam. Of course, in the latter case, it should be electrically separated from the main channels integrated in the respective cooler beams.

Since the cells of different cell rows are included in a group, the cells between any two adjacent cooler beams are electrically connected to each other across the cell rows. The connection between the cells may be achieved by bus bars.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each block comprises at most two cells.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each block comprises a single cell.

In other words, according to the first alternative, in any monomer row, the number of monomers in each block of the monomer row is equal to 1 or 2. In a first alternative embodiment, in any of the monomer rows, the number of monomers in each block of the monomer row is equal to 2. Further, according to the second alternative, in any monomer row, the number of monomers in each block of the monomer row is equal to 1.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each of the first and second sides of the block (which explicitly abut against the cooler beam) is mechanically fixed to the respective cooler beam. For example, the first side or the second side of the block may be attached to a respective cooler beam.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each of the first and second sides of a cell (which explicitly abuts against the other cell) is mechanically fixed to a respective cooler beam. For example, the first side or the second side of a monomer may be attached to another monomer.

The cooler beams may each comprise a mechanically stable material. The cooler beams may each include a thermally conductive material. The cooler beams may each be made of or include steel.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each cooler beam includes a duct extending along the second direction. Furthermore, the duct has a first flat side forming at its outer surface a first side of the cooler beam comprising the duct. Further, the duct has a second flat side forming a second side of the cooler beam including the duct at an outer surface thereof.

In the previous embodiments, the main channel system integrated into the beam is formed by the respective pipes. The pipes may each have a bottom and a top (with respect to the third direction). The top connects the first side and the second side to each other in the top region (e.g., the top connects an upper edge of the first side and an upper edge of the second side to each other). The bottom connects the first side and the second side to each other in a lower region (e.g., the bottom connects a lower edge of the first side and a lower edge of the second side to each other). Each of the bottom and top of the pipe may have a flat outer surface.

In one embodiment of the battery system, each cooler beam includes an aluminum cooler core disposed between two thermally insulating layers. The thermal insulation layer may be a mica layer.

In one embodiment of the battery system, the aluminum cooler core includes a first wall and a second wall, each of the first wall and the second wall extending along a second direction and being arranged opposite each other with respect to the first direction, wherein the first wall is arranged in front of the second wall when viewed in the first direction.

The first wall may have a flat side facing away from the first direction, which flat side forms a first flat side of the cooler beam comprising the aluminum cooler core. Correspondingly, the second wall may have a flat side facing the first direction, which flat side forms a second flat side of the cooler beam comprising the aluminium cooler core.

In one embodiment of the battery system, for each cooler beam, the primary channels integrated into this cooler beam include: at least one or more first cooling ducts, each first cooling duct extending along a second direction and arranged on a side of the first wall facing the second wall; and at least one or more second cooling ducts, each second cooling duct extending along the second direction and being arranged on a side of the second wall facing the first wall.

In other words, one or more cooling ducts are arranged inside each of the walls of the aluminium cooler core. Each of the cooling ducts then allows to direct the coolant near the inner side of the wall. The cooling duct may be made of aluminum. The cooling duct may be directly connected or fixed to the inner side of the wall, for example by welding. This allows good heat transfer between the wall and the coolant flowing in the cooling duct.

In the main passage according to the foregoing embodiment, the number of first cooling pipes may be equal to the number of second cooling pipes. Thus, the main channel comprises a number of pairs, each pair comprising a first cooling duct and a second cooling duct. In each pair, the first cooling duct and the second cooling duct may be arranged opposite to each other, i.e. the longitudinal central axis of the first cooling duct of the pair and the longitudinal central axis of the second cooling duct of the pair may be arranged in the same plane parallel to the x-y plane of the coordinate system defined above.

In one embodiment of the battery system, the first wall and the second wall are connected to each other by a rod or rib, and each rod or rib extends between one of the first cooling ducts and one of the second cooling ducts.

Thus, each bar or rib preferably extends between a portion of the first cooling duct facing the second wall and a portion of the second cooling duct facing the first wall. In one embodiment, each rod has an elongated shape extending parallel to the first direction. In one embodiment, each rib has a flat shape extending parallel to the first direction and parallel to the second direction.

In one embodiment of the battery system, for any two blocks separated from each other by one of the cooler beams and electrically connected to each other by an electrical connection, the electrical connection is thermally connected to the cooler beam separating the blocks.

The electrical connection may be a wire or a bus bar. Wires or bus bars may be attached to the top or bottom side of a cooler beam that separates blocks electrically connected by such wires or bus bars. Alternatively, this wire or bus bar may be led through the cooler beam. Of course, in the latter case, the wires or bus bars should be electrically separated from the main channels integrated in the respective cooler beams.

In a preferred embodiment, each primary channel includes an inlet and an outlet. In the case where each of some or all of the main channels includes a plurality of (sub) channels or pipes, the inlet of the respective main channel may be configured to supply the coolant supplied into the inlet to each of the (sub) channels or pipes of the main channel, and correspondingly, the outlet of the respective main channel may be configured to discharge the coolant received from each of the (sub) channels or pipes of the main channel.

In one embodiment, the battery system further includes a coolant supply channel and a coolant discharge channel. The inlet of each main channel is connected to a coolant supply channel and the outlet of the main channel system is connected to a coolant discharge channel. Then, each main passage may be supplied with coolant from the supply passage, and each main passage may discharge the coolant into the discharge passage. In other words, the main channels may be considered to be connected in parallel within the channel system. The supply channel may comprise an inlet configured for connection to a supply mechanism of the cooling system. The exhaust passage may include an outlet for connection to a coolant receiving mechanism of the cooling system configured to receive the exhausted coolant. The supply channel and the discharge channel may be members of a channel system of the battery system.

In one embodiment, the outlet of each main channel is connected, when viewed in the first direction, with the inlet of the next main channel (i.e. the subsequent main channel with respect to the first direction) via a connecting channel, except for the last main channel. Thus, coolant supplied into the inlet of a first main channel will flow continuously through each subsequent main channel. After having flowed through the last main channel, the coolant will be discharged through the outlet of the last main channel. In other words, the main channels may be considered to be connected in series within the channel system.

The inlet of the first main channel may be configured for connection to a supply mechanism of the cooling system. The outlet of the last main channel may be configured for connection to a coolant receiving mechanism of the cooling system configured for receiving the discharged coolant.

Furthermore, the inlet and outlet of the main channel may be arranged such that at the end of the main channel opposite to the (point against) second direction, the inlet and outlet are arranged in an alternating manner when viewed in the first direction. Thus, also at the end of the main channel in the (point into) second direction, the inlet and outlet are arranged in an alternating manner when seen in the first direction. The connection channels may each be a member of a channel system of the battery system. Thus, in such embodiments, the channel system has a meandering shape.

In each of the described aspects and embodiments, the roles of "outlet" and "inlet" may be interchanged, i.e., in the description above, any "inlet" may be considered "outlet" and any "outlet" may be considered "inlet". The above-described topology of the channel system, i.e. the described possibilities, how the various channels comprised in the channel system can be connected to each other irrespective of the particular geometrical design, is not affected by such exchanges. However, the roles of the supply channels and the discharge channels of the battery system must then also be exchanged, if applicable.

In one embodiment, a battery system includes: a cooling system configured to be activated and deactivated; a Battery Management Unit (BMU); and a detection system configured to detect, for some or all of the monomers, whether a thermal event has occurred in the monomer. The detection system is further configured to send a signal to the battery management unit when a thermal event has been detected. Further, the battery management unit is configured for receiving a signal from the detection system and for activating the cooling system upon receiving the signal from the detection system. The cooling system is further configured to supply coolant to each of the primary channels when activated.

The thermal event may be, for example, thermal runaway. The thermal event may be defined by a predetermined threshold temperature value. The detection of the thermal event may be accomplished by detecting whether the temperature of the cells included in the battery system exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature value.

In the vehicle, the battery system is preferably arranged such that the cooler beams extend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the normal running direction of the vehicle. In other words, the cooler beams may each be configured as a cross beam. However, in alternative embodiments, the cooler beams may each be configured as a stringer, for example.

In a preferred embodiment, the cooler beams are arranged with respect to the blocks with respect to the third direction such that for each block the entire front side of the block is in clear abutment against the second side of one of the cooler beams and/or the entire rear side of the block is in clear abutment against the first side of the other of the cooler beams. The greatest mechanical contact is then established between the cooler beams against which the respective front or rear side of the block is in clear abutment, as a result of which the greatest heat transfer can be achieved between the cooler beams against which the respective front or rear side of the block is in clear abutment.

In each of the described aspects and embodiments, the roles of "outlet" and "inlet" may be interchanged, i.e., any "inlet" may be considered "outlet" at the same time if any "outlet" is considered "inlet" in the above description. The above-described topology of the channel system (i.e. the described possibilities, how the various channels comprised in the channel system can be connected to each other irrespective of the particular geometrical design) is not affected by such an exchange. However, if applicable, the roles of the coolant supply channel and the coolant discharge channel of the battery system must then be exchanged.

In general, some features of aspects or certain embodiments thereof may be summarized as follows: instead of typical conventional cooling provided at the bottom of the cells, the cooler beams are mounted in transverse rows of cells. For example, after each cell or every two cells, a thin cooler beam traverses each cell row or at least some cell rows. With this concept, it is possible to cool a certain number of monomers or even each monomer on one of the large (long) sides. In case of thermal runaway in one (or more) cells, this will be detected by the BMU (which has to be connected as an external device to the battery system according to the first aspect, or already integrated in the battery system according to the second aspect), which will wake up the vehicle and require active cooling. Active cooling will help to carry away the energy generated from the monomer affected by thermal runaway and protect the subsequent monomer in the row of monomers. The long side of the cell has the best thermal conductivity to the internal anode/cathode stack or core and the largest surface area. The small sides and bottom of the monomer should be isolated as well as possible from the other mechanical structures, preferably by air or minimal contact. The unit should also be mechanically connected to a cooler which also serves as a mechanical beam.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic top view of an embodiment of the battery system (without a housing) disclosed herein. To facilitate the description, a Cartesian coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis has also been added to FIG. 1, wherein the x-y plane is the same as the drawing plane of the drawing, and the z-axis is oriented perpendicular to the drawing plane. In the illustrated example, the battery system 110 includes three battery cell rows (hereinafter simply referred to as "cell rows"). Specifically, the battery system 110 includes a first cell line 810, a second cell line 820, and a third cell line 830. Each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 extends in a direction parallel to the x-direction of the coordinate system, as schematically indicated by a rectangle with a dashed boundary. The external shape of all the battery cells is identical. Specifically, the first monomer row 810 includes a plurality of monomers 80 having an index i ε {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} _i1 . In addition, the second monomer row 820 includes a plurality of monomers 80 having an index i e {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} _i2 . Correspondingly, the third monomer row 830 includes a plurality of monomers 80 having the index i e {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} _i3 . Each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 may include more battery cells (hereinafter also simply referred to as "cells") than depicted in fig. 1. In particular, in each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830, when viewed in the x-direction, the respective last monomer 80 may be ₈₁ 、80 ₈₂ 、80 ₈₃ After which a further monomer (not shown) is arranged. This is indicated by the dashed line in the upper left part of the dashed rectangle.

Along the y-direction, the cells of the first cell row 810, the second cell row 820, and the third cell row 830 are arranged side by side with their respective sides. Thus, each monomer 80 _ij Can be determined by its position in relation to the x-direction (indicated by reference numeral 80 _ij Indicating the position of the cell in the corresponding cell row when viewed in the x-direction) and the position in relation to the y-direction (indicated by reference numeral 80 _ij Indicating a row of cells comprising the cell, wherein the row of cells is counted along the y-direction).

In fig. 2 is schematically shown that can be used in the publicExemplary design of the battery cells in an embodiment of the open battery system, fig. 2 shows a single battery cell 80 in perspective view with reference to a cartesian coordinate system. The battery cells 80 may be the same-shaped cells 80 employed in the battery system 110 of fig. 1 as described above _ij (i ε {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}, j ε {1,2,3 }). Specifically, the battery cell 80 has a prismatic (rectangular parallelepiped) shape. Thus, the battery cell 80 includes six sides: a top surface 84 disposed opposite the bottom surface with respect to the body of the cell (not shown); a first side 86 and a second side (not shown in fig. 2) disposed opposite the first side 86; and a front face 88 disposed opposite the rear face (not shown in fig. 2). Each side has a substantially planar shape. As can be seen from fig. 2, the area of the front face 88 (and the rear face substantially congruent with the front face 88) is greater than either of the top face 84 and the first side face 86 (and therefore, the front face 88 is also greater than either of the second side face congruent with the first side face 86 and the bottom face congruent with the top face 84).

On the top surface 84 of the battery cell 80 (i.e., the side surface of the battery cell facing the z-direction of the coordinate system), the first terminal 81 and the second terminal 82 are arranged. Terminals 81, 82 allow for electrical connection of battery cells 80. The first terminal 81 may be a negative terminal of the battery cell 80, and the second terminal 82 may be a positive terminal of the battery cell 80. Accordingly, the top surface 84 may also be referred to as the "terminal side" of the battery cell 80 hereinafter. Between the first terminal 81 and the second terminal 82, an exhaust outlet 83 may be arranged in the terminal side 84. The exhaust outlet 83 is configured to vent exhaust gas out of the battery cell 80 that may have been generated inside the battery cell 80, for example during thermal events (such as thermal runaway) occurring in the battery cell 80. The exhaust gas may pass through an exhaust valve (not shown) disposed inside the battery cell 80 before being output through the exhaust outlet 83. By stacking a plurality of battery cells along the x-direction (each battery cell being designed like the battery cell 80 shown in fig. 2), a stack of battery cells is created like any one of the three stacks shown in fig. 1, for example. Thus, each of the monomers 80 depicted in FIG. 1 _ij May be oriented as indicated by the coordinate system of FIG. 2, i.e., each cell 80 _ij Opposite the x-direction, each of the individual units 80 _ij Is oriented in the x-direction, each of the monomers 80 _ij Is opposite to the y-direction, each of the single units 80 _ij Is oriented in the y-direction, each of the individual units 80 _ij With the bottom surface facing away from the z-direction, each of the individual units 80 _ij Facing in the z-direction.

In the embodiment of the battery system 110 shown in fig. 1, a plurality of cooler beams are arranged, including a first cooler beam 20 arranged in sequence along the x-direction ₁ Second cooler beam 20 ₂ Third cooler beam 20 ₃ And a fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ And each cooler beam extends along the y-direction. Cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Comprises a flat first side perpendicular to the drawing plane (i.e. parallel to the y-z plane of the coordinate system) and facing away from the x-direction, and a flat second side likewise perpendicular to the drawing plane but facing the x-direction. Thus, the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Each of the first side and the second side of each of the battery system 110 is arranged in parallel to each of the cells 80 employed in the battery system _ij Is provided, each of the front and rear faces of (a).

In addition, the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Each of the cross-sectional monomer rows 810, 820, 830. Specifically, the individual rows 810, 820, 830 are cooled by the first cooler beams 20 ₁ Cross-section such that in each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830, the respective first cell (80 ₁₁ 、80 ₁₂ 、80 ₁₃ ) Along the x-direction with a corresponding second monomer (80 ₂₁ 、80 ₂₂ 、80 ₂₃ ) Separated by a spacer. Likewise, the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 are cooled by the kth cooler beam 20 _k (k.epsilon. {2,3,4 }) cross-section such that in each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830, the corresponding 2k-1 th monomer (80 _(2k-1),1 、80 _(2k-1),2 、80 _(2k-1),3 ) Along the x-direction with the corresponding subsequent 2k monomer (80 _(2k),1 、80 _(2k),2 、80 _(2k),3 ) Separated (first and second indices in the reference numerals indicating the monomers are separated here by commas)To avoid misinterpretation, especially confusion with multiplication). This approach may correspondingly be applicable to placement of the cells 80 in the x-direction ₈₁ 、80 ₈₂ 、80 ₈₃ Additional chiller beams and cells to the rear (i.e., behind the last cell shown in the figures).

Due to the foregoing arrangement, each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 is divided into several monomer blocks (hereinafter also simply referred to as "blocks"). For example, with respect to the cells shown in FIG. 1, the first cell row 810 is divided to include a unique cell 80 ₁₁ Comprises two monomers 80 ₂₁ And 80 ₃₁ Also comprising two monomers 80 ₄₁ And 80 ₅₁ Again comprising two monomers 80 ₆₁ And 80 ₇₁ Fourth block of monomers of (3) and including a unique monomer 80 ₈₁ (the last monomer block for the first monomer row 810 shown in fig. 1). As further seen in fig. 1, each of the second cell row 820 and the third cell row 830 is cooled by the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Separated in a corresponding manner.

As can further be seen in fig. 1, each intermediate block, i.e. each block of each row of cells (810, 820, 830) except the first and last block, is explicitly abutted with its front side (formed by the front of the first cell in the respective block with respect to the x-direction) against the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ And likewise also with its rear side (formed with respect to the x-direction by the rear face of the last (second) monomer in the respective block) positively abuts against the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ A first side of the other of the two. Due to the cells 80ij and the cooler beams 20 in the embodiment of the battery system shown in fig. 1 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Each intermediate block comprising exactly two monomers. Thus, each of the two monomers is positively abutted against the cooler beam 20 with one of its front and rear faces ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ One, therefore if the cooler beam has a specific orderThe body may be adjacent to the cooler Liang Lengque at a low temperature. This can be accomplished by being directed through the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Is provided for cooling the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ As will be described later with reference to fig. 5A and 5B.

The first blocks (with respect to the x-direction) of each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 each include only a single battery cell 80, as compared to the intermediate blocks (i.e., the second, third, and fourth blocks of each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830) ₁₁ 、80 ₁₂ 、80 ₁₃ . As can be seen in fig. 1, these battery cells 80 ₁₁ 、80 ₁₂ 、80 ₁₃ With each of its respective rear face being positively abutted against the first cooler beam 20 ₁ Is provided. Thus, if the first cooler beam 20 ₁ Having a lower temperature than the monomers, these monomers 80 ₁₁ 、80 ₁₂ 、80 ₁₃ May be passed by the first cooler beam 20 ₁ And (5) cooling. With respect to the cells shown in fig. 1, this also applies in a similar manner to the last-drawn blocks, i.e. the battery cells 80 ₈₁ 、80 ₈₂ 、80 ₈₃ With each of its respective front faces being positively abutted against the fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ Is provided. Thus, if the fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ Having a lower temperature than the monomers, these monomers 80 ₈₁ 、80 ₈₂ 、80 ₈₃ May be surrounded by a fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ And (5) cooling.

In order to achieve maximum heat exchange between the cooler beams and the adjoining cells, intimate mechanical contact between the cooler beams and the cells is desired in the region of the cooler Liang Linjie cells. Thus, the monomer may be mechanically fixed to the cooler beam with a front or rear face with which it is positively abutted against the first side or the second side of the cooler beam. The mechanical fixation may be achieved, for example, by using an adhesive.

As already indicated above with reference to fig. 2, each sheet is compared to either of the top and bottom surfaces and the first and second side surfaces The front and rear faces of the body are the faces of the single body with the greatest area. Due to each monomer 80 as previously described with reference to FIG. 1 _ij Is adjacent to the cooler beam 20 at the front or rear thereof ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ And therefore provides a large area for heat exchange between the monomer and the adjoining cooler beams, which provides excellent cooling of the monomer if the cooler beams have a lower temperature than the monomer.

On the other hand, in the monomer 80 _ij The heat exchange with other parts of the battery system than the cooler beams, such as the outer case or housing (not shown), should be kept as low as possible. In particular, as already indicated above in the introductory part, flame escape from the battery system should be avoided or at least significantly prolonged. Thus, for each monomer 80 _ij All other faces except the front and rear should be thermally insulated from the environment.

For this purpose, a space or an air gap may be interposed between any two monomers adjacent to each other with respect to the y-direction. Thus, in the embodiment of the battery system 110 shown in fig. 1, the complete cell rows 810, 820, 830 are arranged spaced apart from each other with respect to the y-direction. Here, those spaces or air gaps are defined by the dashed line b ₁₂ The cells 80 arranged in the first cell row 810 in the indicated area _i1 (i.epsilon.1, 2, …, 8) and the corresponding relative monomer 80 of the second monomer row 820 _i2 (i.epsilon. {1,2, …,8 }) and correspondingly, at the point indicated by the broken line b ₂₃ The cells 80 arranged in the second cell row 820 in the indicated area _i2 (i.epsilon.1, 2, …, 8) and the corresponding relative monomer 80 of the third monomer row 830 _i3 (i.epsilon. {1,2, …,8 }). For example, the monomer 80 shown at the lower left corner in the top view of FIG. 1 ₁₁ Through space or air gap G ₁₁₁₂ With adjacent monomer 80 ₁₂ Separated by a spacer.

The battery system 110 may be disposed on a carrier frame (not shown) that includes a base (not shown) that supports the cells 80 _ij As well as the cooler beams and possibly other accessories of the battery system 110. Thus, the monomer 80 _ij Each also separated from the base by a space or air gap (not shown).However, in order to provide mechanical stability, a strut (not shown) may be arranged to project from the base in the z-direction, the strut being mechanically connected to the cell 80 _ij Is provided. Thus, in the single body 80 _ij The mechanical connection between the bottom surface and the base of (c) is reduced to a minimum, and therefore, between the single bodies 80 _ij Heat exchange with the base is also minimized.

Of course, when the battery system is arranged to have a position in the cell 80 with respect to the z-direction _ij When in the housing of an upper cover (not shown), the cover should also be positioned to each cell 80 _ij Has a distance from the top side of the (c). Regarding the side walls of the housing, this applies in a similar manner to the first cell 80 of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 ₁₁ 、80 ₁₂ 、80 ₁₃ And the last monomer of each of the rows 810, 820, 830 if no cooler beams are disposed between these faces and the respective adjacent side walls of the housing.

In a battery system, the cells are electrically interconnected with each other. For example, the monomers may be connected to each other in series or parallel. Alternatively, several groups of cells may be formed within the battery system (e.g., the cells of each battery cell stack form one group), and the cells of each group may be connected in series with each other while the groups are connected in parallel with each other. In the battery system according to the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the cell 80 _ij Are connected in series. Electrical connection is through a bus bar (such as bus bar E ₁₁₁₂ ) Build, bus E ₁₁₁₂ The lower left hand corner of the top view of FIG. 1 is shown as cell 80 ₁₁ With the cell 80 arranged immediately thereto with respect to the y-direction ₁₂ And (5) electric connection.

However, as electrical connections (e.g., metal), each bus bar may also generally cause undesired heat transfer between any two connected cells, or even when the connected cells are disposed on different sides of the cooler beam, cause undesired heat exchange between different cell blocks across the cooler beam, thereby deteriorating the effect of the cooler beam as a thermal barrier between the cell blocks disposed on different sides thereof. It is therefore desirable that the number of electrical connections between the individual pieces arranged on different sides of the cooler beam is reduced to a minimum, i.e. at least at Cell 80 of battery system 110 _ij In the case of a series connection, as in the present case, to 1. This can be achieved by an arrangement of electrical connectors (bus bars) as shown in fig. 1 and described below.

Due to the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ The monomer 80 _ij Are grouped into several groups. The first group may include the first cooler beams 20 arranged when viewed in the x-direction ₁ Any monomer 80 in front ₁₁ 、80 ₁₂ 、80 ₁₃ . In other words, the first group includes a first block of each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830. Further, the second group may include a first cooler beam 20 disposed when viewed in the x-direction ₁ And a second cooler beam 20 ₂ Any monomer 80 therebetween ₂₁ 、80 ₂₂ 、80 ₂₃ 、80 ₃₁ 、80 ₃₂ 、80 ₃₃ . In other words, the second set includes a second block of each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830. The remaining groups are defined in a corresponding manner, e.g. a third group is defined by the second cooler beams 20 ₂ And a third cooler beam 20 ₃ Monomer 80 therebetween ₄₁ 、80 ₄₂ 、80 ₄₃ 、80 ₅₁ 、80 ₅₂ 、80 ₅₃ A fourth group is shown by being arranged at the third cooler beams 20 ₃ And a fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ Monomer 80 therebetween ₆₁ 、80 ₆₂ 、80 ₆₃ 、80 ₇₁ 、80 ₇₂ 、80 ₇₃ Given.

Thus, the cells of each group may be electrically connected to each other in series. In other words, since each cell includes a first terminal (e.g., a negative terminal) and a second terminal (e.g., a positive terminal), the second terminal of each cell included in one group (except one cell) may be connected with the first terminal of another cell. For example, referring to FIG. 1, the monomers 80 in the first set ₁₁ Through bus bar E ₁₁₁₂ To adjacent monomers 80 in the first set ₁₂ The latter monomer 80 ₁₂ And then through another bus bar E ₁₂₁₃ With the next monomer 80 in the first set ₁₃ (with respect to the y-direction) And (5) connection. In addition, monomers 80 of the second group ₂₃ 、80 ₂₂ 、80 ₂₁ 、80 ₃₁ 、80 ₃₂ 、80 ₃₃ Any two subsequent monomers concerning their order in the preceding description pass through the corresponding bus bar E ₂₂₂₃ 、E ₂₁₂₂ 、E ₂₁₃₁ 、E ₃₁₃₂ And E is ₃₂₃₃ Are connected in series. This applies in a corresponding manner to any further group. Thus, for the electrical connections required within each group, there is no need to span the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ One of which is an electrical connection. However, in each group, one single body has left unconnected a first terminal (this terminal may be used as the first terminal of the group) and another single body has left unconnected a second terminal (the latter terminal may be used as the second terminal of the group). Thus, the first terminal of the first group may be used as the first terminal of the entire battery system 110, and the second terminal of the last group may be used as the second terminal of the entire battery system 110. Further, the second terminals of each group (except the last group) may be connected to the first terminals of the subsequent group with respect to the x-direction. This has the advantage that only the last-mentioned connection piece is required to span the cooler beams. For example, the rightmost monomer 80 of the first group ₁₃ Via crossing the first cooler beams 20 ₁ Arranged bus bar E ₁₃₂₃ With the lower right hand corner of the second group of monomers 80 ₂₃ And (5) connection. In addition, the second set of upper right hand corner cells 80 ₃₃ Via crossing the second cooler beams 20 ₂ Arranged bus bar E ₃₃₄₃ With the third lower right hand corner of the third set of monomers 80 ₄₃ The third set of upper right hand corner cells 80 are connected ₅₃ Via crossing the third cooler beams 20 ₃ Arranged bus bar E ₅₃₆₃ With the fourth set of lower right hand corner monomers 80 ₆₃ And (5) connection. For each additional group included in the battery system 110, this manner of electrically connecting the respective groups to each other may continue in a corresponding manner. Thus, for each cooler beam, only one electrical connection (i.e., bus bar) is disposed across the cooler beam. Thus, heat transfer between different groups via electrical connections and thus thermal event crossingThe risk of monomer propagation or diffusion is minimized.

Cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Mechanical stability of the battery system 110 may be provided or enhanced. In any case, the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Should be configured to resist the pressure generated within the cell rows 810, 820, 830, i.e., the pressure generated due to the expansion process not only in the event of a thermal event but also during the normal operating state of the battery system 110. However, the cooler beam 20 according to the present disclosure ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Their primary function is that they directly abut against the cooler beams 20 by cooling ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ The ability of the battery cell(s) of (one or both) to cool the battery system 110. Of course, in order to correspond to adjacent monomers 80 _ij Providing such a cooling effect, the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Itself must each be equipped with a suitable cooling mechanism. According to the present disclosure, the cooling mechanism is provided by the main channel, i.e. the main channel is thus integrated into the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Is included in each of (a) and (b). Specifically, in the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Corresponding main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Extending along the entire length of the cooler beam. Due to the schematic nature of FIG. 1, the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Can be combined with the cooler beam 20 in this figure ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Together to identify. The main channel 30 will be described below with reference to fig. 5A and 5B ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Integrated into the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Detailed description of the drawings.

Each main channel comprises a corresponding inlet I ₁ 、I ₂ 、I ₃ 、I ₄ And corresponding outlet O ₁ 、O ₂ 、O ₃ 、O ₄ . Main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Inlet I of (2) ₁ 、I ₂ 、I ₃ 、I ₄ Is configured for connection to a suitable coolant supply (see below). Correspondingly, the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Outlet O of (2) ₁ 、O ₂ 、O ₃ 、O ₄ Is configured for connection with a suitable evacuation mechanism (see below) that receives the fluid received by the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Outlet O of (2) ₁ 、O ₂ 、O ₃ 、O ₄ The discharged coolant. Thus, when passing through the corresponding inlet I ₁ 、I ₂ 、I ₃ 、I ₄ When the coolant is supplied, a corresponding coolant flow F ₁ 、F ₂ 、F ₃ 、F ₄ Is guided through the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ As schematically shown in fig. 1. When passing through the corresponding inlet I ₁ 、I ₂ 、I ₃ 、I ₄ Supplied to the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ When the coolant is with the monomer 80 _ij Compared to fluids having a low temperature (e.g., a temperature in the range of 20 ℃ to 55 ℃). Depending on the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Is integrated into the cooler beam, the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ With the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Identical to, or including, the cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Is provided (see detailed description regarding fig. 5A and 5B). Thus, when coolant is directed through the primary channels 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ At the time of coolant and cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Heat exchange occurs between the materials of (a). On the other hand, cool downBeam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Each with its respective first and/or second side and cell (the cell and cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ The front and/or rear faces of the adjacent (with respect to the x-direction) arrangement are mechanically connected (directly or indirectly, see below with respect to fig. 5A and 5B).

Therefore, when the temperature of the cells exceeds the temperature of the coolant, heat exchange occurs between the coolant flowing through the main channel and the battery cells mechanically connected to the cooler beam into which the main channel is integrated. In particular, thermal energy is transferred from the monomer to the coolant through the material of the respective main channel. In other words, the monomer is cooled. Note that the heat exchange between the monomer mechanically connected to the cooler beam and the coolant led through the cooler beam by means of the integrated main channel depends on the area of the mechanical connection between the monomer and the cooler beam. More specifically: the larger the area of the mechanical connection between the monomer and the cooler beam, the greater the flow of thermal energy (heat transfer) from the monomer to the cooler beam and further to the coolant. As already described above, each cell in the embodiment of the battery system 110 depicted in fig. 1 abuts against the cooler beam 20 with one of its largest sides (i.e., with its respective front face 88 or its respective rear face) ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ One of them. Thus, the illustrated embodiment allows for each cell 80 included in the battery system 110 _ij Is excellent in cooling.

However, the battery system 110 not only provides excellent cooling for each of the individual cells, but also prevents the propagation of thermal events (e.g., thermal runaway) within the plurality of cells, or at least significantly delays such propagation. This applies in particular to the propagation of thermal events across different groups of battery cells (see definition of groups above in this context). For example, it is possible for the monomer 80 drawn in the lower left corner with respect to the top view of fig. 1 ₁₁ (i.e., the first monomer of the first monomer row 810) is affected by thermal runaway. This is illustrated in FIG. 1 by the monomer 80 ₁₁ Is indicated on the top side of the gray scale of (c). Thus, avoiding in several waysAvoiding or at least delaying thermal events to the next affected monomer 80 in the x-direction ₁₁ Arranged single bodies 80 ₂₁ Propagation of (i.e., second monomer of first monomer row 810): (i) The aforementioned first cells 80 of the first cell row 810 ₁₁ And a second monomer 80 ₂₁ The different blocks belonging to the first monomer row 810 are thus spatially separated from each other. (ii) Furthermore, they are by means of a first cooler beam 20 ₁ Mechanically shielded from each other. (iii) However, these monomers 80 ₁₁ 、80 ₂₁ Also thermally shielded from each other because when the first main passage 30 ₁ Via its inlet I ₁ From the first cells 80 of the first cell row 810 when supplied with coolant ₁₁ The propagated heat is transferred to flow through the first cooler beams 20 ₁ Is arranged in the first main channel 30 ₁ Is defined by the coolant flow F ₁ Thus through the coolant flow F ₁ Movement in the y-direction immediately from the first cell 80 in the first cell row 810 ₁₁ And a second monomer 80 ₂₁ The area between them is taken away. Thus, the monomer 80 is prevented from being affected by thermal runaway ₁₁ Passes through the first cooler beam 20 ₁ Further propagates to the second cell 80 of the first cell row 810 ₂₁ Is a kind of medium. After having passed through the first main channel 30 ₁ Outlet O of (2) ₁ Thereafter, at monomer 80 ₁₁ Is generated and flows through the first main channel 30 ₁ Is defined by the coolant flow F ₁ The received heat is then discharged from the battery system 110 through a discharge mechanism, such as a discharge passage 34, which will be described later.

As noted above, for the primary flow passage 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ A coolant supply mechanism and a coolant discharge mechanism are required for each of them. For the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ The respective coolant supply mechanism is configured for connection with the inlet of the main passage such that coolant provided by the coolant supply mechanism flows into the main passage via the inlet. Correspondingly, for the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Each of which is provided with a corresponding coolant discharge mechanism forIs connected to the outlet of the main passage such that coolant flowing out of the main passage via the outlet is received by the coolant discharge mechanism.

In an embodiment, each of the primary channels may be connected to the same coolant supply mechanism with their respective inlets. In other words, a single coolant supply mechanism is used to supply coolant to each main passage. Furthermore, in embodiments, each primary channel may be connected to the same coolant discharge mechanism with their respective outlets. In other words, a single coolant discharge mechanism is used to receive coolant discharge from each main channel. For example, in the embodiment of the battery system 110 shown in fig. 1, the coolant supply mechanism is implemented by the coolant supply channel 32, and correspondingly, the coolant discharge mechanism is implemented by the coolant discharge channel 34. The coolant supply passage 32 is connected to the main passage 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ The inlet of any one of (I ₁ 、I ₂ 、I ₃ 、I ₄ ). Likewise, the coolant discharge passage 34 and the main passage 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ The outlet (O) of any one of ₁ 、O ₂ 、O ₃ 、O ₄ ) And (5) connection. The coolant supply channel 32 comprises a main inlet I adapted to be connected to an external cooling system (not shown) configured for supplying coolant F to the coolant supply channel 32 via the main inlet I. In the embodiment of the battery system 110 shown in fig. 1, the coolant supply channel 32 is part of the battery system 110. In alternative embodiments, the coolant supply channel 32 may be part of an external cooling system. Furthermore, the coolant discharge channel 34 comprises a main outlet O adapted to be connected to an external cooling system (not shown) configured for receiving the coolant F discharged from the coolant discharge channel 34 via the main outlet O. In the embodiment of the battery system 110 shown in fig. 1, the coolant discharge passage 34 is part of the battery system 110. In alternative embodiments, the coolant discharge passage 34 may be part of an external cooling system.

Due to the coolant supply passage 32 toward the main passage 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Is supplied with coolant F and the coolant discharge passage 34 receives the coolant from the main passage 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ The main channel 30 can be considered as ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ At the position of the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ Are connected in parallel within a channel system formed with the coolant supply channel 32 and the coolant discharge channel 34. Thus, the coolant F provided by the coolant supply passage 32 is divided into several coolant flows F ₁ 、F ₂ 、F ₃ 、F ₄ Such that when the cooling system is in operation and coolant is supplied to the coolant supply channel 32, these coolant flows F ₁ 、F ₂ 、F ₃ 、F ₄ One of which is guided through the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ And a corresponding one of (thus through the cooler beam 20) ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ Corresponding one of them). For the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ The amount of coolant flowing through the channels and the rate at which the coolant flows through the channels may be controlled, for example, by the pressure of the coolant provided by the coolant supply channels 32 and/or by the cross-sectional flow area provided by the respective main channels.

In order to highlight again some important features of the battery system of fig. 1, the following should be noted: in order not to detract from the isolation of the cooler Liang Dere, most of the electrical connections (bus bars) between the cells do not connect the cells along the cell rows (i.e., over or through the cooler beams). Instead, most electrical connectors interconnect the cells of different cell rows. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a thermal monomer 80 from a first monomer row 810 ₁₁ Bus bar E (drawn in the lower left corner of the cell matrix) ₁₁₁₂ Connected in the y-direction to the next cell 80 belonging to the second cell row 820 ₁₂ . Thus, the monomer 80 ₁₂ Through bus-bar E only ₁₁₁₂ Attached to the thermal block 80 ₁₁ But abuts against the first cooler beam 20 at its abutment ₁ On the rear side of (a)Still well cooled. However, a bus bar E is still required ₁₃₂₃ Along the cell row direction (x direction). This bus bar from one monomer block to the next (in the x-direction) must be designed to minimize heat transfer. This can be done by bus bar E ₁₃₂₃ Is connected with the cooler Liang Dere (correspondingly, for the bus bars E respectively connecting any two adjacent monomer groups in the following monomer groups) ₂₁₃₁ 、E ₃₃₄₃ 、E ₄₁₅₁ 、E ₅₃₆₃ 、E ₆₁₇₁ The method comprises the steps of carrying out a first treatment on the surface of the See above). With the illustrated bus bar arrangement, the required number of electrical connections that span (or pass through) the cooler beams can be minimized.

Two alternative embodiments of a battery system according to the present disclosure are schematically illustrated in fig. 3 and 4. Specifically, fig. 3 provides a top view of a second embodiment of the battery system 120, and fig. 4 provides a top view of a third embodiment of the battery system 130. Again, a cartesian coordinate system having axes x, y, z is depicted in the drawings to facilitate description by referring to directions parallel to the axes. Like the battery system 110 shown in fig. 1, the battery system 120 of fig. 3 and the battery system 130 of fig. 4 include a first cell line 810, a second cell line 820, and a third cell line 830, as indicated by the virtual rectangle marked by the dashed line. In each of these monomer rows 810, 820, 830, the corresponding monomer 80 _i1 、80 _i2 、80 _i3 (the first index i.e {1,2,3,4} indicates the position of the monomer with respect to the x-direction, and the second index indicates the corresponding row of monomers) is aligned along the x-direction. Further, the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 are arranged parallel to each other and are arranged along the y-direction. For simplicity of the schematic, each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 of the depicted embodiment includes only four battery cells. Of course, alternative embodiments may be obtained in which the battery system 120 or 130 continues in the x-direction using the same arrangement pattern as shown for the cells in order to expand the battery system. Furthermore, in alternative embodiments, additional monomer rows may be added along the y-direction in the same manner as shown for the depicted monomer rows 810, 820, 830.

All of the cells in the battery system 120 or 13080 _ij (i.epsilon.1, 2,3,4}, j.epsilon.1, 2,3 }) has the same prismatic (cuboid) shape and is oriented such that their respective front faces are shown against the x-direction and their respective rear faces are shown against the x-direction (in comparison, FIG. 2 and the corresponding description with respect to FIG. 1, where the monomers are oriented in a similar manner). In each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830, the individual cells 80 _ij Spaced apart from each other with respect to the x-direction. A plurality of cooler beams 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ 、20 ₅ (hereinafter, corresponding reference numerals are abbreviated as 20 _k K e {1,2,3,4,5 }) are disposed in the battery system 120 or 130, wherein each cooler beam 20 _k Extending parallel to the y-direction. Specifically, the first cooler beam 20, when viewed in the x-direction ₁ A first cell 80 arranged in each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 _1j (j ε {1,2,3 }) is ahead. In addition, a second cooler beam 20 ₂ A first monomer 80 extending through each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 _1j (j.epsilon. {1,2,3 }) and a second monomer 80 _2j (j ε {1,2,3 }) where the cells in each cell row are counted with respect to the x-direction. In a similar manner, the third cooler beam 20 ₃ A second monomer 80 extending through each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 _2j And a third monomer 80 _3j Each space therebetween, a fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ A third cell 80 extending through each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 _3j And a fourth monomer 80 _4j Each space therebetween. Finally, the fifth cooler beams 20, when viewed in the x-direction ₅ The last (i.e., corresponding fourth) cell 80 disposed in each of the cell rows 810, 820, 830 _4j (j ε {1,2,3 }) is behind.

Similar to what has been described above in the context of fig. 1, each cooler beam 20 _k (k e {1,2,3,4,5 }) comprises a flat first side perpendicular to the drawing plane (i.e. parallel to the y-z plane of the coordinate system) and facing away from the x-direction and a flat second side also perpendicular to the drawing plane but facing the x-direction. Thus, each cooler beam 20 _k Each of the first side and the second side of (a)Each cell 80 employed in the battery system 120 or 130 _ij Is arranged in each of the front and rear faces of the housing.

Due to the monomer 80 _ij And a cooler beam 20 _k Each of the monomer rows 810, 820, 830 is divided into a plurality of blocks in a similar manner as already described above in the context of the first embodiment shown in fig. 1. However, in comparison with the first embodiment, in the second embodiment (fig. 3) and the third embodiment (fig. 4), the cell rows 810, 820, 830 are divided into cell blocks such that each block includes only a single battery cell. Furthermore, each of the front and rear faces of the single body is positively abutted against an adjacent cooler beam 20 _k Or the corresponding second side or first side of (a). In other words, in the second embodiment (fig. 3) and the third embodiment (fig. 4), each cell is arranged between two cooler beams and with its two faces is definitely abutting against the cooler beams. Since the front and rear of the cell are the largest faces of the cell (see fig. 2), the cooling beam 20 is ensured _k And monomer 80 _ij Excellent heat exchange between them. However, since the two large faces of each cell are in thermal contact with the cooler beams, the cooler beams 20 of the embodiment shown by FIGS. 3 and 4 _k Provided to the monomer 80 _ij Is even more efficient than the cooling effect provided by the first embodiment (fig. 1), in which only one of the front and rear faces of each monomer is involved in heat exchange with the cooler beam. In fact, the area available for heat exchange in the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 4 is twice that in the first embodiment (fig. 1). Thus, the second embodiment (fig. 3) and the third embodiment (fig. 4) provide maximum heat exchange with the cooler beams, thus allowing maximum efficiency with respect to the cooling effect.

Similar to the case already described above with reference to fig. 1, since the battery rows 810, 820, 830 are formed by a plurality of cooler beams 20 _k Transversal, single cell 80 of battery system 120 or 130 _ij Grouped into several groups. Specifically, each group includes any one of the monomers located between a pair of adjacent cooler beams. That is, in the second embodimentIn the formulas (fig. 3) and the third embodiment (fig. 4), the kth group of cells is formed by the group of cells located at the kth cooler beam 20 when viewed in the x-direction _k And a (k+1) th cooler beam 20 _k+1 (k.epsilon. {1,2,3,4 }) monomer set {80 } _i1 ,80 _i2 ,80 _i3 And is given.

Again, the cells of each group are electrically connected to each other in series. The electrical connection may be established by wires or bus bars. For example, with respect to the first group, the cells 80 depicted in the lower left hand corner of the cell matrices shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 ₁₁ Via bus bar E ₁₁₁₂ Connected to a cell 80 in the first group arranged next to it (with respect to the y-direction) ₁₂ And the latter is the single body 80 ₁₂ Another terminal of the other bus bar E ₁₂₁₃ To the third monomer 80 in the first group ₁₃ Is provided. Of course, the connection must be made such that the negative terminal is connected only with the positive terminal in order to establish a series connection. The same scheme is applied in a corresponding manner to each other cell group included in the battery systems 120, 130. Furthermore, the cell groups themselves are electrically connected in series with each other. For example, referring to fig. 3 and 4, the first group is by means of bus bars E ₁₃₂₃ Is connected to the second group, bus bar E ₁₃₂₃ The rightmost monomer 80 of the first group ₁₃ With the rightmost cell 80 of the second group ₂₃ Is electrically connected to the terminals of the circuit board. Furthermore, the second group is by means of a further bus bar E ₂₁₃₁ Is connected to the third group, bus bar E ₂₁₃₁ The left monomer 80 of the second group ₂₁ With the terminals of the third group being left hand cell 80 ₃₁ Is electrically connected to the terminals of the circuit board. The third group then passes in a similar manner through the other bus bar E ₃₃₄₃ Is connected to the fourth group. Of course, the connection of the groups must also be realized such that the negative terminal is connected only with the positive terminal in order to establish a series connection. Thus, each group is connected in series, and within each group, the monomers are connected in series. Thus, the entire set of cells included in the battery system 120 or 130 are connected in series. The monomer 80 is then drawn in the lower left hand corner in the monomer matrix as shown in figures 3 and 4 ₁₁ Free terminals of (2) and the monomer 80 drawn in the upper left corner ₄₁ Can be used as a wholeA first terminal T1 and a second terminal T2 of the battery systems 120, 130. Note that in the arrangement of the second embodiment (fig. 3) and the third embodiment (fig. 4), each cooler beam 20 is similar to the case of the first embodiment (fig. 1) _k Only one bus bar spans or crosses. Thus, in each of the described embodiments, unwanted heat transfer between adjacent groups of cells via electrical connections between the groups is minimized.

Furthermore, the main channel is integrated in the cooler beam 20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ 、20 ₅ Is included in each of (a) and (b). For example, a first main channel 30 ₁ Integrated into the first cooler beam 20 ₁ In the second main channel 30 ₂ Integrated into the second cooler beam 20 ₂ Is a kind of medium. Generally, according to the embodiment of fig. 3 and 4, the kth main channel 30 _k Integrated into a corresponding kth cooler beam 20 _k (k.epsilon. {1,2,3,4,5 }). In fig. 3 and 4, for simplicity, the main channel 30 _k Depicted as corresponding chiller beams 20 _k The same applies. This may correspond to an implementation of the main channel as described below with reference to fig. 5A. However, alternative implementations of the primary channels as shown in fig. 5B may also be used in the second and/or third embodiments of the battery systems 120, 130 according to the present disclosure. Each main channel 30 _k A cooler beam 20 configured for integration therein along a primary channel _k Is used to direct the coolant over the entire length of the tube. Thus, as coolant flows through the primary channels, heat exchange occurs between each battery cell that is positively abutted against the corresponding cooler beam and the coolant by the material of the cooler beam. Thus, if the temperature of the coolant is lower than the temperature of the battery cells abutting against the respective cooler beams, these cells are cooled in the arrangement provided by the battery system 120 or 130. Furthermore, due to the mechanical separation provided by the cooler beams and the movement of the coolant flowing within the cooler beams that transfers heat received by the coolant away from the region in which the heat is generated (e.g., the region affected by the thermal event of the battery cells), the transfer of thermal events (e.g., thermal runaway) occurring in one group of the battery systems 120, 130 to the other group is avoided or at least significantly delayed And (5) sowing. This has been described in more detail above in the context of fig. 1.

The second embodiment shown in fig. 3 and the third embodiment shown in fig. 4 are different from each other in the following points: how to transfer unused coolant (i.e., not yet from the battery cells 80 _ij Receiving hot coolant) is supplied to each main passage 30 _k And how to slave the main channel 30 _k Exhaust having flowed through the main passage 30 _k (used coolant). In a second embodiment as shown in fig. 3, the coolant supply and coolant discharge are realized in a similar manner as described above in the context of the first embodiment with reference to fig. 1. Specifically, each main flow passage 30 _k Including an inlet (left end of the corresponding primary channel in fig. 3) and an outlet (right end of the corresponding primary channel in fig. 3). A coolant supply passage 32 is connected to each of the main passages 30 _k Is provided. In addition, a coolant discharge passage 34 is connected to each main passage 30 _k Is provided. In other words, the coolant supply passage 32 is fluidly connected to each of the main passages 30 _k The coolant discharge passage 34 is also associated with each of the main passages 30 _k And a fluid connection. Thus, each of the main passages 30 can be supplied with the coolant supply passage 32 _k Supply of unused coolant, thus, from the main channel 30 _k The discharged used coolant is received by the coolant discharge passage 34. Thus, in the second embodiment of the battery system 120 shown in fig. 3, the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ 、30 ₅ Can be regarded as being defined by the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ 、30 ₅ Are connected in parallel within a channel system formed with the coolant supply channel 32 and the coolant discharge channel 34.

A third embodiment of a battery system 130 according to the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 4, provides a connection main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ 、30 ₅ Is an alternative to (a). Again, each main channel 30 _k (k.epsilon. {1,2,3,4,5 }) include entry I _k (one end of the corresponding main channel in FIG. 4) and outlet O _k (other end of the corresponding Main channel in FIG. 4)). Here, however, for each main channel 30 _k (except for the fifth main channel 30 ₅ In addition, i.e. k.epsilon. {1,2,3,4 }) the corresponding outlet O when viewed in the x-direction _k With the corresponding next main channel 30 _k+1 Inlet I of (2) _k+1 And (5) connection. Connected through a plurality of corresponding connecting channels 36 ₁₂ 、36 ₂₃ 、36 ₃₄ 、36 ₄₅ To realize the method. Specifically, the first main channel 30 ₁ Outlet O of (2) ₁ Via the first connecting channel 36 ₁₂ Is connected to the second main channel 30 ₂ Inlet I of (2) ₂ . Likewise, the second main channel 30 ₂ Outlet O of (2) ₂ Via the second connecting channel 36 ₂₃ Is connected to the third main channel 30 ₃ Inlet I of (2) ₃ . Then, the third main channel 30 ₃ Outlet O of (2) ₃ Via a third connecting channel 36 ₃₄ Is connected to the fourth main channel 30 ₄ Inlet I of (2) ₄ Finally, a fourth main channel 30 ₄ Outlet O of (2) ₄ Via a fourth connecting channel 36 ₄₅ Is connected to the fifth main channel 30 ₅ Inlet I of (2) ₅ 。

In addition, the first main channel 30 ₁ Inlet I of (2) ₁ Is connected to the coolant supply passage 32, the fifth (last) main passage 30 ₅ Outlet O of (2) ₅ Is connected to the coolant discharge passage 34. Therefore, in the third embodiment of the battery system 130 shown in fig. 4, the main passage 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ 、30 ₅ Can be regarded as being defined by the main channel 30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ 、30 ₅ And connecting channel 36 ₁₂ 、36 ₂₃ 、36 ₃₄ 、36 ₄₅ And the coolant supply channel 32 and the coolant discharge channel 34 are connected in series in a channel system formed together.

In each of the second embodiment of the battery system 120 (fig. 3) and the third embodiment of the battery system 130 (fig. 4), the coolant supply channel 32 includes a main inlet I adapted to be connected with an external cooling system (not shown) configured to supply unused coolant F to the coolant supply channel 32 via the main inlet I _I . In the second and third embodiments of the battery systems 120, 130, the coolant supply passage 32 is part of the battery systems 120, 130. In alternative embodiments, the coolant supply channel 32 may be part of an external cooling system. Furthermore, the coolant discharge channel 34 comprises a main outlet O adapted to be connected to an external cooling system (not shown) configured for receiving the used coolant F discharged from the coolant discharge channel 34 via the main outlet O _O . In the second and third embodiments of the battery systems 120, 130, the coolant discharge passage 34 is part of the battery systems 120, 130. In alternative embodiments, the coolant discharge passage 34 may be part of an external cooling system.

Of course, in each of the embodiments described above with reference to fig. 1, 3 and 4, the flow direction of the coolant and any point within the channel system may be reversed by using the primary inlet I of the channel system as the outlet and the primary outlet O of the channel system as the inlet. In other words, the cooling effect of the channel system on the battery system 110, 120, or 130 is not affected by such a reversing operation.

Fig. 5A and 5B each show, in a schematic manner, a cross-sectional cut through two alternative examples of a cooler beam 20 that may be used in a battery system according to the present disclosure. In the example, the cooler beam 20 is coupled to two battery cells 80 _i,j And 80 _i+1,j Are adjacently disposed and therebetween. Thus, the cooler beam 20 may be the first cooler beam 20 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 ₁ Second cooler beam 20 ₂ Third cooler beam 20 ₃ Fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ Either of the second or third embodiments shown in fig. 3 and 4, or the second cooler beam 20 ₂ Third cooler beam 20 ₃ Fourth cooler beam 20 ₄ Any one of them. In addition, battery cell 80 _i,j And 80 _i+1,j Belonging to the same cell line (j-th cell line) in the battery system according to the present disclosure. For example, the monomer 80 is drawn on the right side in fig. 5A and 5B _i,j (hereinafter simply referred to as "right monomer") may correspond toThird monomer 80 in the second monomer row of one of the first, second or third embodiments ₃₂ Monomer 80 depicted on the left side in FIGS. 5A and 5B _i+1,j (hereinafter, simply referred to as "left monomer") may correspond to the fourth monomer 80 of the second monomer row of the corresponding embodiment ₄₂ (thus, to obtain this example, i=3 and j=2 may be set). The cartesian coordinate system also depicted in fig. 5A and 5B then coincides with the coordinate system of fig. 1 to 4 described previously.

In the example of fig. 5A, the cross-sectional profile of the cooler beam 20 has a rectangular shape. Specifically, the cooler beam includes an abutment against the right cell 80 _i,j Is (are) rear face 89 _i,j And abuts against the left cell 80 _i+1,j Front face 88 of (2) _i+1,j Is provided, the second wall 20b of (a). To form the cooler beam 20 and the unit 80 _i,j 、80 _i+1,j And establishes a mechanical fixation therebetween, which may be attached to the cooler beams 20. This may be achieved by means of an adhesive. For example, the first adhesive layer 26a may be disposed on the right cell 80 _i,j Is (are) rear face 89 _i,j And the outer face of the first wall 20a, correspondingly, the second adhesive layer 26b may be disposed on the left cell 80 _i+1,j Front face 88 of (2) _i+1,j And the outer face of the second wall 20 b. Thus, the outer face of the first wall 20a forms a first side 22a of the cooler beam 20 and the outer face of the second wall 20b forms a second side 22b of the cooler beam 20. Further, the cooler beam 20 includes a bottom wall 20c and a top wall 20d. The bottom wall 20c connects the bottom edges of the first wall 20a and the second wall 20b (with respect to fig. 1) to each other, and the top wall 20d connects the top edges of the first wall 20a and the second wall 20b (with respect to fig. 1) to each other. Thus, the cross-sectional profile of the cooler beam 20 surrounds a space 30 adapted to guide a fluid, such as a coolant. In other words, the cooler beam 20 itself is configured to function as the channel 30, as the duct is formed by all of the first and second walls 20a, 20b and the bottom and top walls 20c, 20d of the cooler beam 20. Thus, the main channel integrated in the cooler beam 20 is formed by the channel 30.

The cooler beams 20 in the example of fig. 5A must be designed with sufficient mechanical stability to overcome the cell expansion forces along the cell stack (i.e., along the x-direction). At the same time, however, the thermal conductivity along the stack of monomers should be minimized. In order to protect the cooler beams 20 from the high temperatures of the monomer in the event of thermal runaway (about 700 ℃), the cooler beams 20 may preferably be made of steel, which helps to achieve both of the aforementioned design requirements.

As by the left monomer 80 _i+1,j The internally drawn flame symbol R indicates that one of the cells adjacent to the cooler beams 20 may be affected by a thermal event (i.e., an abnormally high temperature occurs or occurs within the battery cell) such as thermal runaway (in the case of thermal runaway, a temperature of about 700 ℃ may occur). In fig. 5A, temperature is schematically indicated (on a relative scale without reference values) by staining the areas within the monomer according to a large scale (scale), wherein light grey represents a relatively low temperature or normal operating temperature of the monomer, medium grey represents a medium temperature, and dark grey represents a high temperature generated by a thermal event. The thermal event R may be detected by a suitable detection system (not shown) connected to an evaluation unit (not shown) which may for example be integrated in a battery management unit (BMU; not shown) of a battery system (see above) according to the present disclosure. When a thermal event is detected, the BMU may activate a cooling system connected to a channel system of the battery system. For example, referring to the embodiments shown in fig. 1, 3, and 4 (see above), the cooling system may be connected to the main inlet I of the coolant supply channel 32 of the battery system 110, 120, or 130, and may be further configured to supply unused coolant to the coolant supply channel 32. Correspondingly, the cooling system may be connected to the main outlet O of the coolant discharge passage 34 and configured to receive the used coolant discharged from the main passage of the battery system. Thus, after start-up, a coolant having a temperature (e.g. 35 ℃) much lower than the monomer (in particular lower than the temperature of the monomer affected by the thermal event R) is led through each main channel. Thus, in this case, left monomer 80 is affected by thermal event R _i+1,j And a temperature gradient occurs in the region between the coolant flowing in the passage 30. Since the second wall 20b is in this example located exactly in this region, heat transfer occurs through the material of the second wall 20 b. Specifically, heat passes from the heat region within the left monomer through the second wall20b into the coolant in the main channel 30. Thereby, heat energy is transferred from the left single body 80 _i+1,j Released, and left monomer 80 _i+1,j Thereby reducing the temperature of (c). As can be seen from fig. 5A, most of the inner side 23b of the second wall 20b is thermally connected to the coolant. Thus, most of the thermal energy propagating through the second wall 20b will be received by the coolant and thus directed away from the region of thermal event R and eventually out of the battery system. Only a relatively small amount of thermal energy may be propagated to the opposing first wall 20a via the bottom wall 20c and the top wall 20d, thereby raising the temperature of the opposing first wall 20 a. This effect is further reduced since the bottom wall 20c and the top wall 20d are also each exposed to the coolant and are thus cooled. Thus, the left monomer 80 is largely prevented from _i+1,j To right monomer 80 _i,j Is provided). Thus, even in the left monomer 80 _i+1,j In the event of a thermal event, the right monomer 80 _i,j The temperature of (2) is also kept below, for example, 150 ℃.

As already indicated above, the cooler beams 20 in the example of fig. 5A are preferably made of steel. The poorer thermal conductivity of steel compared to aluminum can be achieved by a much larger cooling surface (i.e., front face 88 _i+1,j And the area of the second side 22b of the cooler beam 20) is well compensated. The steel material helps to provide the cooler beams 20 with sufficient stability to resist the individual expansion forces generated from the individual when in operation or in the event of a thermal event. In addition, due to the steel material, the presence of the left cell 80 is greatly reduced _i+1,j And right monomer 80 _i,j A desired cross-section of material in between, which results in a left hand single body 80 _i+1,j And right monomer 80 _i,j Lower thermal conductivity between.

Another example of a cooler beam 20 is shown in fig. 5B, which may be made of aluminum. Preferably, the cooler beams 20 in this example are manufactured as aluminum extrudates. Like the cooler beam of FIG. 5A, the cooler beam 20 shown in FIG. 5B includes an abutment against the right cell 80 _i,j Is (are) rear face 89 _i,j And abuts against the left cell 80 _i+1,j Front face 88 of (2) _i+1,j Is provided, the second wall 20b of (a). However, in contrast to the cooler beam of FIG. 5A, the cooler beam 20 of FIG. 5B does not include a bottom or top wall. Alternatively, a plurality of pipes are arranged on each of the inner sides (i.e., the side 23a of the first wall 20a facing the second wall 20b and the side 23b of the second wall 20b facing the first wall 20 a). In this example, three first ducts 41a, 41b, 41c are arranged on the inner side 23a of the first wall 20a, and second ducts 42a, 42b, 42c are arranged on the inner side 23b of the second wall 20b. Each of the tubes 41a, 41b, 41c, 42a, 42b, 42c may extend along the y-direction (i.e., perpendicular to the drawing plane) across the entire length of the cooler beam 20. Each duct comprises a cavity C configured for guiding a coolant. The pipes are positioned in pairs such that for each pair the pipes are arranged opposite each other on opposite inner sides 23a, 23b of the walls 20a, 20b. For example, a pair may be located near the top edges of the walls 20a, 20B (the terms "top", "bottom", "upper", etc. are used in this context with reference to fig. 5B). The pair includes a first top duct 41a disposed on the inner side 23a of the first wall 20a and a second top duct 42a disposed on the inner side 23b of the second wall 20b, the second top duct 42a being positioned opposite the first top duct 41a with respect to the x-direction. To provide mechanical stability to the cooler beam 20, the first and second top pipes 41a and 42a are mechanically connected to one another by upper bars or ribs 44 a. The bars or ribs 44a are connected to the first top duct 41a on the area of the first top duct 41a facing the second wall 20b. Correspondingly, a rod or rib 44a is connected to the second top duct 42a on the area of the second top duct 42a facing the first wall 20 a. Thus, the upper stem or rib 44a is not in direct mechanical contact with either of the first wall 20a and the second wall 20b. Thus, the upper stem or rib 44a is also not in direct thermal contact with either of the first wall 20a and the second wall 20b. Furthermore, when the coolant flows through the first and second top ducts 41a, 42a, the first and second top ducts 41a, 42a are cooled such that the areas on these ducts facing away from the respective inner sides 23a, 23b on which the walls 20a, 20b of the ducts are arranged will have a lower temperature than the respective inner sides 23a, 23 b. In other words, heat exchange between the first wall 20a and the second wall 20B of the cooler beam 20 is minimized in the example of fig. 5B due to both the effect of active cooling by the coolant and avoiding direct mechanical contact with the inner sides 23a, 23B. In this example, opposite the outside on the inside 23a, 23b of the walls 20a, 20b Is arranged at the bottom edge of the wall 20a, 20b in a corresponding manner with respect to assembly along the x-direction, and a further pair of ducts 41b, 42b is arranged in a similar manner as previously described in a central region (with respect to the z-direction) of the inner side 23a, 23b of the wall 20a, 20b.

The cooler beams 20 in the example of fig. 5B must provide sufficient mechanical stability to overcome the cell expansion forces along the cell stack (i.e., along the x-direction) while the thermal conductivity along the cell stack should be minimized. As already indicated above, the cooler beams 20 in this example are preferably designed as aluminum extrudates. In order to protect the aluminium from the very high temperatures of the monomer, therefore on the sides of the monomer (during normal operation mode, in particular during thermal events), additional mica sheets 24a, 24b or similar materials may be used between the monomer and the cooler beams 20. Such a material will slow the heat transfer from the cells to the cooler beams 20 and will allow the cooler beams 20 to be kept at a lower temperature. The aluminum extrusion is designed in such a way that a coolant (e.g. cooling water) flows through a plurality of pipes 41a, 41b, 41c, 42a, 42b, 42c on each side. To minimize thermal connections across the cooler beam 20, only small bars or ribs 44a, 44b, 44c connect the left and right halves of the cooler beam 20. Furthermore, these connections are based on cooling ducts 41a, 41b, 41c, 42a, 42b, 42c, and not on walls 20a, 20b.

When a thermal event such as thermal runaway occurs (e.g., in left cell 80 _i+1,j As again indicated by the flame symbol R drawn within the cell (see description above with respect to fig. 5A)), the right cell 80 is largely blocked by the configuration of the cooler beam 20 shown in fig. 5B due to several effects _i,j Is not limited by the heat transfer: (i) Left monomer 80 _i+1,j Right monomer 80 _i,j Cooled by heat exchange with a coolant. (ii) Mechanical contact between the first wall 20a and the second wall 20b is minimized by the solid members (here: bars or ribs 44a, 44b, 44 c) of the cooler beam 20. (iii) The rods or ribs 44a, 44b, 44c are themselves cooled by the coolant and are additionally arranged on the "cooled areas" of the tubes 41a, 41b, 41c, 42a, 42b, 42c, as described above.

In some cases, an alternative example of a chiller beam may be sufficient that is substantially similar to the chiller beam 20 shown in fig. 5A, except for the arrangement of the tubes (which is adapted such that the tubes are arranged on only one of the inner sides 23a, 23 b). For example, in the battery system shown in fig. 3 and 4, if the cooler beam is intended to be used as the first beam 20 ₁ Or last (fifth) beam 20 ₅ This is significant. Since these cooler beams are arranged in the battery system 120 or 130 such that the cells are arranged adjacent to only one of their first and second sides, the respective other side need not be cooled, and thus need not be in thermal contact with the pipes provided in the cooler beams.

Reference numerals

20、20 ₁ 、20 ₂ 、20 ₃ 、20 ₄ 、20 ₅ 、20 _k Cooler beam

20a, 20b, 20c, 20d walls

22a first side of the cooler beam

Second side of 22b cooler beam

23a, 23b inside the cooler beams

24a, 24b thermal insulation layer

26a, 26b adhesive layer

30、30 ₁ 、30 ₂ 、30 ₃ 、30 ₄ 、30 ₅ 、30 _k Main channel

32. Coolant supply passage

34. Coolant discharge passage

36 ₁₂ 、36 ₂₃ 、36 ₃₄ 、36 ₄₅ Connection channel

41a, 41b, 41c pipe

42a, 42b, 42c pipeline

44a, 44b, 44c bars or ribs

80、80 _i,j 、80 _i+1,j Battery cell

80 ₁₁ 、80 ₂₁ 、80 ₃₁ 、80 ₄₁ 、80 ₅₁ 、80 ₆₁ 、80 ₇₁ 、80 ₈₁ Battery cells (of first cell row)

80 ₁₂ 、80 ₂₂ 、80 ₃₂ 、80 ₄₂ 、80 ₅₂ 、80 ₆₂ 、80 ₇₂ 、80 ₈₂ Battery cells (of the second cell line)

80 ₁₃ 、80 ₂₃ 、80 ₃₃ 、80 ₄₃ 、80 ₅₃ 、80 ₆₃ 、80 ₇₃ 、80 ₈₃ Battery cells (of third cell line)

81. 82 (cell) terminals

83. Exhaust outlet

84. Top surface

86. Side surface

88、88 _i+1,j Front face

89 _i,j Rear face

110. 120, 130 battery system

810. First single line

820. Second monomer row

830. Third monomer row

b ₁₂ In the region between the first monomer row and the second monomer row

b ₂₃ In the region between the second and third monomer rows

C cavity

E ₁₁₁₂ 、E ₁₂₁₃ 、E ₁₃₂₃ 、E ₂₁₃₁ 、E ₃₃₄₃ Bus bar

E ₄₁₅₁ 、E ₅₃₆₃ 、E ₆₁₇₁ 、E ₂₁₂₂ 、E ₂₂₂₃ Bus bar

E ₃₁₃₂ 、E ₃₂₃₃ Bus bar

F coolant

F ₁ 、F ₂ 、F ₃ 、F ₄ Coolant flow in a main channel

F _I Unused coolant

F _O Used coolant

I Main Inlet

I ₁ 、I ₂ 、I ₃ 、I ₄ 、I ₅ Inlet (of main channel)

O main outlet

O ₁ 、O ₂ 、O ₃ 、O ₄ 、O ₅ Outlet (of main channel)

R thermal event (e.g., thermal runaway)

T1 first terminal (of battery system)

T2 second terminal (of battery system)

Axes of the x, y, z Cartesian coordinate system

Claims

1. A battery system, comprising:

a plurality of cell rows, each cell row comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a row extending along a first direction;

a plurality of chiller beams; and

A channel system comprising a plurality of main channels, each of said main channels being configured for guiding a coolant,

wherein each of the monomers has a prismatic shape bounded by a planar front face and a planar rear face with respect to the first direction, each of the planar front face and the planar rear face being arranged perpendicular to the first direction, wherein, when viewed in the first direction: for each cell, the front face being arranged in front of the rear face, the prismatic shape of each cell being further limited with respect to the second direction by a first side face and a second side face and with respect to the third direction by a top face and a bottom face,

wherein each of said rows of cells is subdivided into a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks comprising at least one cell, and each of said blocks having a front side and a rear side, wherein said front side is formed by said front face of a first cell of said at least one cell of said block and said rear side is formed by said rear face of a last cell of said at least one cell of said block when viewed in said first direction,

wherein each of said cooler beams is bounded with respect to said first direction by a flat first side and a flat second side, each of said first side and said second side being arranged perpendicular to said first direction, and said first side being arranged in front of said second side when seen in said first direction,

Wherein for each of the blocks, the front side of the block is positively abutted against the second side of one of the plurality of cooler beams, and/or the rear side of the block is positively abutted against the first side of another of the plurality of cooler beams, and

wherein, for each of the chiller beams, one of the plurality of primary channels is integrated in and thermally connected to the chiller beam.

2. The battery system according to claim 1,

also included is a carrier frame having a base portion,

wherein the bottom surface of each of the cells faces the base and each of the cells is disposed in thermal insulation with the base.

3. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein sides of any two cells arranged adjacent to each other in the second direction that face each other are thermally insulated from each other.

4. The battery system according to claim 2,

wherein each of said monomers is thermally insulated from said base by an air gap or at least a partial air gap, or by an insulating layer; and/or

Wherein the thermal insulation between any two cells arranged adjacent to each other with respect to said second direction comprises an air gap or at least a part of an air gap, or comprises an insulating layer.

5. The battery system of claim 1, wherein each of the front face and the rear face of the cell has a larger area than each of the first side face and the second side face of the cell.

6. The battery system of claim 1, wherein each of the cooler beams is positively abutted against one of the front side and the rear side of at least one block of each cell row.

7. The battery system according to claim 6,

wherein all monomer rows comprise the same number of blocks,

wherein, when viewed in the first direction, for each of the individual rows, the rear side of a first block of the plurality of blocks is positively abutted against the first side of one of the plurality of cooler beams, the front side of a last block of the plurality of blocks is positively abutted against the second side of one of the plurality of cooler beams, and

wherein, when viewed in the first direction, for each block in one of the plurality of monomer rows disposed between the first block and the last block of the monomer row, the front side of the block is positively abutted against the second side of one of the plurality of cooler beams, and the rear side of the block is positively abutted against the first side of one of the plurality of cooler beams.

8. The battery system according to claim 1,

wherein each block comprises at most two monomers, or

Wherein each block comprises a single monomer.

9. The battery system according to claim 1,

wherein each of said cooler beams comprises a duct extending along said second direction,

the duct has a first flat side forming at an outer surface thereof the first side of the cooler beam including the duct, an

The duct has a second planar side forming at an outer surface thereof the second side of the cooler beam including the duct.

10. The battery system of claim 1, wherein each of the cooler beams comprises an aluminum cooler core disposed between two thermally insulating layers.

11. The battery system according to claim 10,

wherein the aluminum cooler core includes a first wall and a second wall,

the first wall and the second wall each extend along the second direction and are arranged opposite each other with respect to the first direction, wherein the first wall is arranged in front of the second wall when seen in the first direction.

12. The battery system of claim 11, wherein the primary channel integrated into the chiller beam comprises, for each of the chiller beams:

At least one first cooling duct, each first cooling duct extending along the second direction and being arranged on a side of the first wall facing the second wall; and

at least one second cooling duct, each second cooling duct extending along the second direction and being arranged on a side of the second wall facing the first wall.

13. The battery system according to claim 12,

wherein the first wall and the second wall are connected to each other by a rod or rib,

wherein each of the bars or ribs extends between one of the first cooling ducts and one of the second cooling ducts.

14. The battery system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cooling system configured to be activated and deactivated;

a battery management unit; and

a detection system configured to detect, for some or all of the monomers, whether a thermal event has occurred in the monomers,

wherein the detection system is further configured to send a signal to the battery management unit when the thermal event has been detected,

wherein the battery management unit is further configured for receiving a signal from the detection system and for activating the cooling system upon receiving a signal from the detection system, and

Wherein the cooling system is further configured to supply coolant to each of the primary channels when activated.

15. A vehicle comprising at least one battery system according to any one of claims 1 to 14.