CN117242630A

CN117242630A - Battery module with enhanced safety

Info

Publication number: CN117242630A
Application number: CN202280026816.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 张诚桓; 成准烨; 郑惠美
Original assignee: LG Energy Solution Ltd
Current assignee: LG Energy Solution Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-12
Filing date: 2022-08-03
Publication date: 2023-12-15

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery module having an improved structure to be able to appropriately control the discharge of gases, flames, etc. generated inside the battery module and to effectively prevent the infiltration of foreign substances from the outside. The battery module according to an aspect of the present application includes: a battery cell assembly comprising one or more battery cells; a module case having an inner space accommodating the cell assembly and having a discharge hole formed to allow discharge gas generated from the cell assembly to be discharged therethrough; a discharge unit disposed outside the module case and configured to allow a discharge gas discharged from the discharge hole to be introduced thereinto and then discharged to the outside; and a filter unit disposed at least partially inside the discharge unit and configured to filter substances introduced into the discharge unit.

Description

Battery module with enhanced safety

Technical Field

The present application claims priority from korean patent application No.10-2021-0106956 filed in korea at 8.12 of 2021 and korean patent application No.10-2022-0095276 filed in korea at 8.1 of 2022, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to a battery, and more particularly, to a battery module with enhanced safety, and a battery pack and a vehicle including the same.

Background

As the demand for portable electronic products such as notebook computers, video cameras, portable phones is rapidly increasing and robots and electric vehicles are carefully commercialized, high-performance secondary batteries capable of repeated charge and discharge are being actively studied.

The secondary batteries currently being commercialized include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, and the like. Among these, lithium secondary batteries have little memory effect to ensure free charge and discharge, as compared with nickel-based secondary batteries, and are attracting attention due to very low self-discharge rate and high energy density.

Lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material, respectively. The lithium secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly in which positive and negative electrode plates coated with a positive electrode active material, respectively, are provided with a separator interposed therebetween; and an external case or a battery case for hermetically accommodating the electrode assembly together with the electrolyte.

Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified into can-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is included in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is included in a pouch made of an aluminum laminate sheet, according to the shape of an external case.

Recently, secondary batteries for driving or energy storage are widely used not only in small-sized devices such as portable electronic devices but also in medium-and large-sized devices such as electric vehicles and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). The secondary batteries may constitute one battery module in such a manner that a plurality of secondary batteries are electrically connected and stored together in a module case. In addition, a plurality of battery modules may be connected to form one battery pack.

However, when a plurality of battery modules are included in a battery pack as described above, the structure may be easily affected by thermal chain reaction between the battery modules. For example, when an event such as thermal runaway occurs inside one battery module, it is necessary to suppress the thermal runaway from spreading to other battery modules. If the thermal runaway spreading between the battery modules is not properly suppressed, an event occurring in a specific battery module causes a chain reaction of several battery modules, and thus may cause explosion or fire or increase in scale.

Specifically, when an event such as thermal runaway occurs in any one of the battery modules, gas or flame may be discharged to the outside. At this time, if the discharge of the gas or flame is not properly controlled, the gas or flame may be discharged toward other battery modules, thereby possibly causing thermal chain reactions of the other battery modules.

In addition, in the case of the conventional battery module, when the exhaust gas is generated, a path for discharging the exhaust gas to the outside may be included. At this time, foreign substances such as water may be introduced through a discharge path of the discharge gas.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the related art, and therefore, the present disclosure is directed to providing a battery module having an improved structure to appropriately control the discharge of gas or flame generated inside the battery module and to effectively prevent the introduction of external foreign materials, and a battery pack and a vehicle including the same.

However, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above technical problems, and other problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following disclosure.

Technical proposal

In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module including: a battery cell assembly having at least one battery cell; a module case configured to accommodate the battery cell assembly in an inner space thereof and having a discharge hole formed therein to discharge a discharge gas generated from the battery cell assembly; a discharge unit located at an outer side portion of the module case and configured such that the discharge gas discharged from the discharge hole is introduced thereinto and discharged to the outside; and a filter unit at least partially located inside the discharge unit and configured to filter substances introduced into the discharge unit.

Here, the filter unit may include a hygroscopic material.

Additionally, the filter unit may be configured to produce carbon dioxide.

In addition, the filter unit may be configured such that gas must pass between the discharge hole and a discharge hole of the discharge unit.

In addition, at least one end of the discharge unit may be configured in a curved plate form, and at least a portion of an end of the curved portion may be attached to an outer side portion of the module case.

In addition, the discharge unit may include a protrusion formed on an inner surface.

In addition, the protrusion of the drain unit may be configured to be inserted into the filter unit.

In addition, the filter unit is inserted between the protrusions of the discharge unit.

In addition, the filter unit may be disposed in plurality in the inner space of the discharge unit along the flow direction of the discharge gas.

In addition, the module case may have the discharge holes formed at both ends of a side surface thereof, and the discharge unit may have discharge holes formed between the discharge holes at both ends.

In addition, the discharge unit may have an inclined surface on a bottom thereof to have a height decreasing in a direction toward the discharge hole.

In addition, the filter unit may be configured to be installed in an inner space of the drain unit in a state where the drain unit is attached to an outer surface of the module case.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is also provided a battery pack including the battery module according to the present disclosure.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is also provided a vehicle including the battery module according to the present disclosure.

Advantageous effects

According to the present disclosure, when a gas or flame is generated inside the battery module, the discharge of such gas or flame can be appropriately controlled.

In particular, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, gas discharge of a battery module may be effectively controlled in response to occurrence of a thermal runaway event without significantly changing the internal configuration of the battery module.

In addition, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, when thermal runaway occurs inside the battery module, it is possible to prevent the discharge of flame or spark to the outside.

Therefore, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, even if an event such as thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery module, it is possible to effectively suppress the situation in which thermal runaway propagates to other battery modules.

In addition, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, in a normal battery use environment, functions such as preventing inflow of water and removing moisture may be achieved by the filter unit having a moisture absorption/smoking function installed inside the discharge unit.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, when an event such as thermal runaway occurs, the filter unit sublimates into carbon dioxide or the like, thereby suppressing flame or fire. Therefore, the occurrence of the chain reaction between the battery modules can be more effectively suppressed.

Accordingly, in the present disclosure, a battery module with improved safety and an application device thereof can be provided. In particular, when the battery module according to the present disclosure is applied to a vehicle, occupant safety can be more effectively ensured.

In addition to the above, the present disclosure may have various other effects, and such effects will be described in each embodiment, or any effects that can be easily inferred by those skilled in the art will not be described in detail.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the above disclosure serve to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure, and therefore the present disclosure will not be construed as limited to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing the configuration of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the effect of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a discharge unit included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view schematically illustrating a configuration in which the discharge unit of fig. 4 is coupled to a module case.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a discharge unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating an exhaust gas flow path of the exhaust unit of fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a filter unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a discharge unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view schematically showing a partial configuration of a discharge unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a discharge unit and a filter unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along line B3-B3' of fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from the top.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to general and dictionary meanings, but interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to define terms appropriate for the best explanation.

Accordingly, the description set forth herein is merely a preferred example for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, so it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 2 is an assembled perspective view illustrating the configuration of fig. 1. However, in fig. 1, the module case 200 is shown in a partially cut-away form for convenience of description.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a battery module according to the present disclosure includes a cell assembly 100, a module case 200, a drain unit 300, and a filter unit 400.

The battery cell assembly 100 may include at least one battery cell. Here, each battery cell may refer to a secondary battery. The secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. Specifically, the battery cells provided in the cell assembly 100 may be pouch-type secondary batteries. However, other types of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries or rectangular batteries, may also be employed in the cell assembly 100 of the present disclosure. ,

a plurality of secondary batteries may form the battery cell assembly 100 in a stacked form. For example, a plurality of secondary batteries may be stacked so as to be arranged in a horizontal direction (X-axis direction in the drawing) while standing in an up-down direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing), respectively. Each battery cell may include an electrode lead, and the electrode lead may be located at both ends or at one end of each battery cell. A secondary battery in which an electrode lead protrudes in two directions may be called a bi-directional battery cell, and a secondary battery in which an electrode lead protrudes in one direction may be called a uni-directional battery cell. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific types or forms of these secondary batteries, and various types of secondary batteries known at the time of filing the present patent application may be employed in the cell assembly 100 of the present disclosure.

The module case 200 may have an empty space formed therein and be configured to accommodate the battery cell assembly 100 in the inner space. For example, the module case 200 may be configured to include an upper plate, a lower plate, a left plate, a right plate, a front plate, and a rear plate to define an inner space. Here, at least two or more of the upper plate, the lower plate, the left plate, the right plate, the front plate, and the rear plate may be configured in an integrated form. For example, the upper plate, the lower plate, the left plate, and the right plate may be integrated with each other. At this time, the integrated housing has a tubular shape, and may be referred to as a single frame. In this case, the module case 200 may include end caps (front plate, rear plate) coupled to the front and rear open ends of the single frame, respectively. As another example, in the module case 200, the left, right, and lower plates may be integrated with each other. At this time, the integrated housing may be referred to as a U-frame due to its shape. Alternatively, the module case 200 may include a box-shaped lower case having an open top and an upper case (upper plate) covering a top open portion of the lower case. In addition, the module housing 200 may be configured in various other forms.

The module case 200 may have a drain hole H as shown in fig. 1 and the like. For example, the drain holes H may be formed in the left and right plates of the module case 200, respectively. The exhaust hole H may be configured such that when exhaust gas is generated and is ejected from the cell assembly 100 accommodated in the inner space of the module case 200, the generated exhaust gas may be discharged to the outer space of the module case 200.

For example, when the module case 200 is configured to have a form of a single frame and an end cover, the drain hole H may be formed in the single frame and/or the end cover. Alternatively, when the module case 200 is configured to have the form of a lower case and an upper case, the drain hole H may be formed in the lower case and/or the upper case.

The module case 200 may be configured in a sealed form except for the drain hole H. In addition, the drain hole H may be formed in a completely opened form to penetrate the module case 200 in the inside and outside directions. However, the discharge hole H may not be completely opened, but may be configured to be closed in a normal state and to be opened according to a change in pressure or temperature.

The discharge unit 300 may be provided at least one side portion, particularly, an outer side portion of the module case 200. Further, the discharge unit 300 may be disposed at an outer side portion of the module case 200. For example, the discharge hole H may be formed in the left surface of the module case 200. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the discharge hole H may be formed in the right surface of the module case 200. In this case, the discharge unit 300 may be attached to outer portions of the left and right surfaces of the module case 200, respectively.

The drain unit 300 may be attached and fixed to the surface of the module case 200 using various fastening methods. Specifically, the drain unit 300 may be attached and fixed to the portion of the module case 200 where the drain hole H is formed by welding or the like.

The discharge unit 300 may be configured to define an empty space therein, and the discharge gas discharged from the discharge hole H flows through the defined space. That is, the discharge unit 300 may be configured such that the discharge gas discharged from the discharge hole H is introduced into the inner space. In addition, the discharge unit 300 may be configured such that the discharge gas flowing through the inner space is discharged to the outside through the discharge hole indicated by O in fig. 1. Here, the inner space of the discharge unit 300 may be referred to as a discharge passage because it is a space for guiding the discharge gas. That is, in the discharge unit 300, the discharge passage may be formed such that the discharge gas introduced into the inner space through the discharge hole H flows. In addition, the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage may be discharged to the outside through the exhaust hole O.

At least a portion of the filter unit 400 may be located inside the discharge unit 300. That is, an inner space may be formed in the drain unit 300 to serve as a drain passage, and at least a portion of the filter unit 400 may exist in the drain passage. Specifically, the filter unit 400 may be configured to be inserted into an inner space (i.e., a drain passage) of the drain unit 300 as a whole.

The filter unit 400 may be configured to filter the substances introduced into the discharge unit 300. The filter unit 400 has a plurality of holes or the like to pass a material of a specific state or a specific composition and filter a material of another specific state or a specific composition to prevent movement thereof.

Further, the filter unit 400 may be located in a path (i.e., an exhaust channel) through which the exhaust gas flows, and may be configured to filter the exhaust gas or other materials. For example, the filter unit 400 may be configured with a structure or material for filtering a substance introduced into the discharge unit 300 through the discharge hole H and discharged to the outside through the discharge hole O. In addition, the filter unit 400 may be configured with a structure or material for filtering substances introduced into the inner space of the discharge unit 300 through the discharge hole O.

Specifically, when exhaust gas is generated inside the module case 200 due to an event such as thermal runaway in the battery cell assembly 100, the exhaust gas may be introduced through the exhaust hole H of the module case 200 and pass through the inner space of the exhaust unit 300 as indicated by an arrow A1. At this time, the filter unit 400 disposed in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 may filter the discharge gas. That is, as indicated by an arrow A2 in fig. 2, the exhaust gas may be filtered through the filter unit 400 and then discharged to the outside of the exhaust unit 300 through the exhaust hole O.

In addition, high temperature particles such as active material particles or an electrolyte may be included in the exhaust gas in the form of sparks. In addition, when the exhaust gas is discharged, flames may also be discharged together. At this point, the filter unit 400 may be configured to filter such sparks and/or flames.

Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, external discharge of the material (for example, exhaust gas or the material included therein) to the outside through the discharge unit 300 may be prevented or suppressed during thermal runaway. In particular, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, external emissions of flames and/or sparks may be prevented or inhibited.

Further, in the present disclosure, the discharge unit 300 may guide a moving path of the discharge gas or the like in a curved form. At this time, since the moving path of the spark or flame discharged together with the exhaust gas has a strong straightness, the curved discharge path formed by the discharge unit 300 can prevent or suppress the external discharge of the spark or flame. Further, since the filter unit 400 prevents the external discharge of such sparks or flames again, the external discharge of such sparks or flames can be more reliably suppressed or prevented.

Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, by reducing the possibility that the ignition source leaks out of the battery module, it is possible to prevent a fire from occurring or spreading outside the battery module in which an abnormal situation such as thermal runaway occurs. Accordingly, thermal chain reaction between the battery modules can be suppressed, thereby improving fire extinguishing or preventing performance.

In addition, the filter unit 400 may be made of a material capable of absorbing smoke (smoking material). That is, the filter unit 400 may be configured to absorb at least some of the components included in the exhaust gas. For example, the filter unit 400 may be configured in a form or material for absorbing toxic gases, which may have adverse effects on the human body, among components included in the exhaust gas. In this case, when the exhaust gas is discharged from the battery module, fatal damage to a user such as a vehicle driver due to the exhaust gas can be prevented or reduced.

The filter unit 400 may include a material capable of absorbing moisture, i.e., a material having a moisture absorption function. For example, the filter unit 400 may include various moisture absorbents or dehumidifiers known at the time of filing the present application. In addition, the filter unit 400 may include a solid hygroscopic material. Here, the solid state may be a state before moisture absorption, and the moisture absorbing material of the solid state may be a material that remains in the solid state despite absorbing moisture or depending on surrounding conditions such as heat, or may be a material that is converted into another state such as liquid or gas.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to more effectively prevent foreign substances such as water from being introduced into the battery module through the discharge unit 300. This will be described in more detail with reference to fig. 3.

Referring to fig. 3, even though water or moisture is to be permeated into the inner space of the discharge unit 300 through the discharge hole O as indicated by an arrow A3, the filter unit 400 disposed in the discharge hole O may prevent the water or moisture from permeating. In addition, the battery module mounted in the vehicle or the ESS may be used outdoors, and in this case, the battery module may be placed in an environment such as a rainy or snowy or splash situation where water or moisture may penetrate. In this case, the battery module according to the present disclosure may reduce the permeation probability of water or moisture through the moisture absorption function of the filter unit 400.

Further, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, even if water or moisture exists in the inner space of the drain unit 300, the water or moisture may be absorbed by the filter unit 400. Therefore, according to this embodiment, water or moisture can be prevented from being introduced into the module case 200 (specifically, the cell assembly 100).

According to the configuration of the present disclosure, in a normal battery use environment, a function of preventing water from being introduced into the module case 200 through the drain unit 300 or removing moisture can be ensured. Accordingly, the electrical safety of the battery module according to the present disclosure may be further improved.

In addition, the filter unit 400 may be configured to generate carbon dioxide. Specifically, the filter unit 400 may include a material that generates carbon dioxide under specific conditions. For example, the filter unit 400 may be provided with or made of a material that generates carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction or a state change such as sublimation in room temperature or an environment above a certain temperature. In addition, the filter unit 400 may include a device capable of generating carbon dioxide (CO) through a combustion reaction such as heat or flame ₂ ) Is a material of (3). As such, the carbon dioxide generated by the filter unit 400 may exist around the discharge unit 300, or may be located in an inner space of the discharge unit 300, as indicated by A3.

Such carbon dioxide may act as a fire extinguishing agent to suppress or extinguish a flame. Thus, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, carbon dioxide may actively cope with the exhausted gas or flame when an event such as thermal runaway occurs. In addition, sparks or flames may be introduced into the inner space of the discharge unit 300, and carbon dioxide generated by the filter unit 400 may extinguish it, thereby more effectively suppressing the external discharge of such sparks or flames. In addition, during the course of the combustion reaction of the filter unit 400 due to the discharged gas or flame, the temperature of the high-temperature exhaust gas or active material particles may be reduced by absorbing heat from the exhaust gas.

In addition, in this embodiment, the generated carbon dioxide may be introduced into the inner space of the module case 200. In this case, it is also possible to secure the fire suppressing or diffusion suppressing performance to the inside of the module case 200.

Thus, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to more effectively prevent the spread of thermal runaway to neighboring battery modules due to the occurrence of a thermal runaway event in a specific battery module. In addition, according to this embodiment, it is possible to actively cope with a fire in the battery module where an event occurs by extinguishing the fire.

In addition, the filter unit 400 may include a material that generates water or steam in a specific case. In addition, the filter unit 400 may include a material that generates carbon dioxide and water through a thermal decomposition reaction.

In this case, the water or steam generated by the filter unit 400 is used as a fire extinguishing material, so that the flame or spark emission suppressing effect or the temperature lowering effect of the exhaust gas or the like can be further improved.

For example, the filter unit 400 may include naphthalene. In particular, naphthalene can stably ensure moisture absorption/smoking performance. Therefore, in this case, it is possible to more reliably prevent water or moisture from being introduced into the battery module. Therefore, according to this embodiment, water or the like is prevented from being introduced into the battery module during normal use of the battery module, thereby improving electrical safety and preventing corrosion of internal components.

In addition, in this embodiment, naphthalene included in the filter unit 400 may generate carbon dioxide and water through a combustion reaction. Specifically, when an event such as thermal runaway is exacerbated inside the module housing 200 such that a flame or the like is generated and introduced into the discharge unit 300, the flame or the like may cause a combustion reaction with respect to naphthalene. In this case, naphthalene may react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

As another example, the filter unit 400 may include potassium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate. In general, potassium bicarbonate can produce carbon dioxide and water (steam) by the following thermal decomposition reaction.

2KHCO ₃ →K ₂ CO ₃ +H ₂ O+CO ₂ -Q

That is, when potassium bicarbonate is included in the filter unit 400, the potassium bicarbonate can absorb heat (Q) to generate steam (H ₂ O) and carbon dioxide (CO) ₂ ) K is as follows ₂ CO ₃ 。

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to more rapidly and reliably suppress sparks or fires generated inside the battery module by the carbon dioxide and/or water generated by the filter unit 400 during thermal runaway. In addition, in this case, the temperature of the exhaust gas or the high-temperature material may be reduced by water or the like. Further, the steam or the like may have an effect of suppressing the external discharge of the fire or the particles by interfering with the linear movement of the fire or the particles.

The filter unit 400 may be made of only materials such as naphthalene or potassium bicarbonate, or may also include these materials and other materials or components. For example, the filter unit 400 may be configured as a compressed form of naphthalene or potassium bicarbonate powder. Alternatively, the filter unit 400 may be configured such that the carbon dioxide and/or steam generating material is supported by a separate support unit. For example, the filter unit 400 may be configured in a form in which potassium bicarbonate or naphthalene is supported on a mesh-shaped support unit made of metal or polymer.

The filter unit 400 may be configured in a plate shape. For example, as shown in fig. 1 and the like, the filter unit 400 may be configured in the form of a rectangular plate. At this time, the filter unit 400 may be configured such that exhaust gas flows in and out through two wide surfaces (i.e., narrow side surfaces) instead of the front or rear surfaces. In this case, even though the weight of the filter unit 400 is not greatly increased, the area of the exhaust gas passing through the filter unit 400 may be increased. Accordingly, various properties of the filter unit 400, such as flame retardant property or moisture absorption property, can be more efficiently ensured.

The filter unit 400 may be disposed at a position near the discharge hole O of the discharge unit 300. Specifically, the filter unit 400 may be located at the discharge hole O of the discharge unit 300. In this case, a portion of the filter unit 400 (e.g., an upper corner of the filter unit 400) may be exposed to the outside through the drain hole O.

According to this configuration, since introduction of water or the like from the drain hole O is prevented, water or the like can be fundamentally prevented from being introduced into the drain unit 300. In addition, according to this embodiment, the filter unit 400 may be disposed as far as possible from the drain hole H. Accordingly, while the exhaust gas or flame introduced through the exhaust hole H passes through the inner space of the exhaust unit 300, the temperature thereof may be reduced as much as possible or the movement thereof may be suppressed as much as possible. Accordingly, the filter unit 400 can be prevented from being damaged or melted by exhaust gas or flame, or the filtering amount can be reduced, so that the filtering effect can be maintained for a long time.

In addition, the filter unit 400 may be configured such that the gas substantially passes between the discharge hole H and the discharge hole O. That is, the filter unit 400 may be configured to completely block and close a cross-sectional area orthogonal to the flow path when a substance such as exhaust gas flows in the inner space of the exhaust unit 300. For example, the filter unit 400 may be configured to completely close the drain hole O of the drain unit 300. In this case, the material located inside or outside the filter unit 400 may be necessary to pass through the filter unit 400 in the course of being discharged outside the discharge unit 300 or introduced into the discharge unit 300.

For example, when the exhaust gas is introduced into the exhaust unit 300 from the exhaust hole H and is discharged to the outside through the exhaust hole O, the filter unit 400 may be configured such that all the exhaust gas must pass through the filter unit 400. As another example, water or the like existing outside the discharge unit 300 must pass through the filter unit 400 in the course of being introduced into the inner space of the discharge unit 300 through the discharge hole O and moving toward the discharge hole H. Further, as shown in fig. 1 to 3, in an embodiment in which the filter unit 400 is disposed at the discharge hole O side of the discharge unit 300, the filter unit 400 may be configured to cover the entire discharge hole O of the discharge unit 300. In this case, in order for the exhaust gas to be discharged to the outside of the exhaust unit 300, or in order for external moisture or the like to be introduced into the exhaust unit 300, they must pass through the filter unit 400.

In other words, the fluid inside the discharge unit 300 cannot be discharged to the outside of the discharge unit 300 without passing through the filter unit 400, and the fluid outside the discharge unit 300 cannot be introduced into the module case 200 through the discharge hole H.

According to this embodiment, the filtering or blocking effect of the filter unit 400 can be more reliably ensured. In addition, according to this embodiment, the effect of generating a fire extinguishing substance such as carbon dioxide and/or water by the filter unit 400 or the effect of lowering the temperature generated thereby can be further improved.

At least one end of the discharge unit 300 may have a curved plate shape. In addition, at least a portion of the end of the bent portion of the discharge unit 300 may be attached to the outside of the module case 200. This will be described in more detail with reference to fig. 4 and 5.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a discharge unit 300 included in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, fig. 5 is a sectional view schematically illustrating a configuration in which the discharge unit 300 of fig. 4 is coupled to the module case 200. For example, FIG. 5 may be considered a partial configuration of a cross-section taken along line B1-B1' of FIG. 3. Specifically, fig. 5 shows a cross section of a configuration in which the discharge unit 300 is mounted on the right side of the module case 200.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the discharge unit 300 may include a body portion 310 and a bent portion 320. The body portion 310 may be configured in a plate shape, and the bent portion 320 may be formed at corners of the body portion 310. In particular, the curved portion 320 may be integrated with the body portion 310. Accordingly, the curved portion 320 may be formed by bending the corner of the body portion 310 inward. Here, the internal direction may be a direction toward the module case 200. In the present specification, unless otherwise indicated, for each component, the inner direction may mean a direction toward the center of the battery module, and the outer direction may mean a direction toward the periphery of the battery module.

In the discharge unit 300, the body portion 310 may be configured in the form of a rectangular plate, and the bent portions 320 may be formed at four corners of the body portion 310. For example, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the curved portions 320 may be formed at the top edge, bottom edge, front edge, and rear edge of the body portion 310, respectively. In addition, due to the curved shape, at least a portion of the inner space forming the discharge passage may be defined. However, a portion of at least one corner (e.g., a vertex angle) of the body portion 310 may be formed in the form of a cut or tear to serve as the discharge hole O.

In this embodiment, the discharge passage may be formed by a space defined by the body portion 310 and the bent portion 320 of the discharge unit 300. That is, referring to the configuration shown in fig. 4 and 5, the right surface of the discharge passage indicated by V may be defined by the body portion 310, and the upper and lower portions may be defined by the top curved portion 321 and the bottom curved portion 322, respectively. In addition, the front and rear sides of the discharge passage V may be defined by the front and rear curved portions 323 and 324 of the discharge unit 300.

In addition, one side (e.g., left side) of the discharge passage V may be configured in a completely open form, and the module case 200 may be located at the left side. In particular, the outer ends of the top and bottom curved portions 321 and 322 of the discharge unit 300 may be attached to the outer surface of the module case 200, as indicated by C1 and C1' in fig. 5. In addition, the front curved portion 320 and the end of the rear curved portion 320 of the discharge unit 300 may be attached to the outer surface of the module case 200. Here, the attachment portion between each bent portion 320 of the discharge unit 300 and the module case 200 may be strongly coupled, fixed, and sealed such that the discharge gas does not leak out. For example, an end of each bent portion 320 of the discharge unit 300 may be laser welded and sealed to an outer surface of the module case 200. In addition, the discharge unit 300 and the module case 200 may be coupled to each other in various other manners.

Here, a portion of the curved edge portion of the body portion 310 may not be attached to the module case 200. In this case, the portion of the body portion 310 not attached to the module case 200 may be a discharge hole O, which is a portion through which the exhaust gas is discharged to the outside of the exhaust unit 300.

In this embodiment, it can be considered that the discharge passage V is formed by defining a space by the outer surfaces of the discharge unit 300 and the module case 200. In addition, the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust hole H may flow inside the exhaust passage V as indicated by an arrow in fig. 4 and then be discharged to the outside of the exhaust unit 300 through the exhaust hole O.

According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the configuration for guiding the exhaust gas in the battery module can be provided with a simple structure and an easy assembly method. In particular, in this case, the discharge unit 300 can be manufactured very easily. In addition, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, only the drain hole H needs to be formed in the module case 200, and most of the configuration of the conventional battery module may be utilized as it is. Therefore, the external shape of the module case 200 or its internal structural design or manufacturing method does not need to be greatly changed or complicated. Therefore, it is possible to realize a battery module that is easy to manufacture while greatly improving safety.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a discharge unit 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 7 is a view schematically illustrating a flow path of discharge gas of the discharge unit 300 of fig. 6. In addition, for various embodiments included in the present specification, including the present embodiment, the same or similar features as the previous embodiment will not be described in detail, and features different from the previous embodiment will be described in detail.

Referring to fig. 6, the discharging unit 300 may have a protrusion P formed on an inner surface. Specifically, the body portion 310 of the discharge unit 300 facing the outer surface of the module case 200 may have a protrusion P convexly protruding toward the outer surface of the module case 200. For example, the discharging unit 300 shown in fig. 6 may be mounted to the right surface of the module case 200, and a protrusion P protruding in the left direction in which the discharging passage exists may be provided on the left surface of the discharging unit 300. Specifically, a plurality of protrusions P may be provided on the inner surface of the discharge unit 300.

In this embodiment, when the exhaust gas, flame, spark, etc. moves in the inner space of the exhaust unit 300, it may collide with the protrusion P. For example, referring to fig. 7, the exhaust gas may move from the exhaust hole H toward the exhaust hole O in the-Y axis direction. At this time, flames, sparks, active material particles, and the like, together with the exhaust gas, may collide with the protrusion P and change direction, as indicated by arrows in fig. 7.

In this case, the exhaust gas can smoothly move while changing the direction. However, it is possible to prevent flames or sparks having strong linearity from moving during movement. Accordingly, external discharge of flames or sparks from the inside to the outside of the discharge unit 300 can be suppressed or reduced.

Further, the discharge unit 300 may be configured such that the discharge gas collides with the at least one protrusion P while flowing. That is, the discharge unit 300 may have the protrusion P such that the flow direction of the discharge gas in the inner space is not formed in a straight line and is bent at least once. For example, inside the discharge unit 300, a plurality of protrusions P are provided along the flow direction (Y-axis direction in fig. 7) of the discharge unit 300, and at least a part of the plurality of protrusions P may be located at different positions in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in fig. 7) orthogonal to the flow direction of the discharge unit 300.

In this embodiment, the filter unit 400 may be configured such that the protrusion P of the discharge unit 300 is inserted therein. This will be described in further detail with reference to fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a filter unit 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, fig. 8 may be regarded as illustrating an example of the filter unit 400 mounted to the discharge unit 300 of fig. 6.

Referring to fig. 8, as indicated by G, the filter unit 400 may include an inwardly recessed insertion portion. The insertion portion G may have a groove shape or a hole shape. Specifically, the insertion portion G may have a shape and a position corresponding to the protrusion P of the discharge unit 300, as shown in fig. 6 and 7. For example, as shown in fig. 8, a plurality of insertion portions G may be formed on an outer surface of the filter unit 400 facing the body portion 310 of the discharge unit 300. In addition, the position and shape of each insertion portion G may be configured such that the protrusion P provided to the discharge unit 300 may be inserted. Accordingly, when the filter unit 400 is installed in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 (e.g., at the discharge hole O), the protrusion P of the discharge unit 300 may be fitted into the insertion portion G of the filter unit 400.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the coupling force between the filter unit 400 and the discharge unit 300 may be reinforced. Specifically, when the exhaust gas is discharged to the outside through the discharge unit 300, a strong pressure may be applied to the filter unit 400. However, according to this embodiment, the filter unit 400 can stably maintain its position in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 without escaping to the outside even when the discharge gas is discharged. In addition, when the battery module is mounted in a vehicle, the battery module may be exposed to frequent vibration or shock. At this time, if the filter unit 400 stably maintains its position inside the discharge unit 300 as in this embodiment, the function of the filter unit 400 can be properly performed even in the case of vibration or impact.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a discharge unit 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 9, the protrusion P of the discharge unit 300 may be formed in a barrier form. That is, in the embodiment of fig. 6, the protrusion P is configured in the form of a pin or a rod, but in the embodiment of fig. 9, the protrusion P may be configured in the form of a barrier. In this case, the protrusion P in the form of a barrier may be configured in the form of a partition dividing the inner space (i.e., the discharge passage) of the discharge unit 300. However, the protrusion P may be configured to partially open the partitioned space without being completely separated, so that the gas may flow through the open portion. In this case, the exhaust gas flows along the surface of the protrusion P in the form of a barrier and may flow between different spaces through the open portion.

Specifically, a plurality of protrusions P in the form of barriers may be disposed on a path from the discharge hole H of the module case 200 to the discharge hole O of the discharge unit 300. For example, referring to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, one discharge unit 300 is provided with a total of four protrusions P1 to P4. At this time, it can be considered that two of the protrusions P1, P2 are located at the rear side (+y-direction side) based on the discharge hole O of the discharge unit 300, and the other two protrusions P3, P4 are located at the front side (-Y-direction side) based on the discharge hole O of the discharge unit 300.

In this embodiment, the exhaust gas introduced through the exhaust hole H of the module case 200 may flow through the protrusion P in the form of a barrier as indicated by an arrow.

Further, as shown in fig. 9, the discharge unit 300 may be configured such that a path between a portion where the discharge hole H is located in the module case 200 and the discharge hole O is bent at least once. Specifically, the protrusions P in the form of barriers may be configured such that the protrusions P having an open portion at an upper portion and the protrusions P having an open portion at a lower portion are alternately disposed in the flow direction of the discharge passage. For example, referring to two protrusions P1, P2 at the rear side in the embodiment of fig. 9, one protrusion P1 may be configured to extend upward from the bottom curved portion 322 along the inner surface of the body portion 310 such that the upper end thereof is open without contacting the top curved portion 321. In addition, the other protrusion P2 may be configured to extend downward from the top curved portion 321 along the inner surface of the body portion 310 such that the lower end thereof is opened without contacting the bottom curved portion 322. That is, the plurality of protruding portions P may be formed in a zigzag shape.

According to this embodiment, the exhaust gas introduced into the side of the exhaust hole H may change its direction by approximately 90 to 180 degrees twice through the two protrusions P1, P2, as indicated by the arrows. Accordingly, the movement of the flame or spark together with the exhaust gas, which is caused to move toward the exhaust hole O, can be restricted or suppressed due to the plurality of direction changes. In addition, according to this embodiment, the discharge path can be expanded to the maximum with respect to the limited space of the discharge unit 300. Accordingly, leakage of flame or spark into the exhaust hole O is prevented or reduced, and the temperature of the exhaust gas can be reduced.

In addition, the filter unit 400 may be configured to be inserted between the protrusions of the discharge unit 300.

Specifically, referring to fig. 9, the filter unit 400 disposed inside the discharge unit 300 is clearly shown with a dotted line. At this time, the filter unit 400 may be disposed in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 between the two protrusions P2, P3 at both sides based on the discharge hole O. Specifically, the filter unit 400 may be fitted between the plurality of protrusions P.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the coupling force between the filter unit 400 and the discharge unit 300 may be improved. Therefore, the filter unit 400 can stably maintain its position despite the exhaust pressure of the exhaust gas or external vibration or impact. In addition, according to this embodiment, since the configuration in which the filter unit 400 is mounted inside the discharge unit 300 can be easily implemented, the battery module can be more easily assembled. In addition, according to this embodiment, a separate shape conversion or configuration may not be provided for the filter unit 400. Accordingly, the performance of the filter unit 400 may be maintained at a certain level or more, or mechanical strength may be stably ensured.

Furthermore, the embodiment in which the filter unit 400 is fitted between the protrusions P when the protrusions P are configured in the form of a barrier may be more easily implemented as shown in fig. 9 above. In particular, in this case, by securing a wide contact area between the protrusion P and the filter unit 400, the coupling force between the protrusion P and the filter unit 400 can be more stably maintained.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view schematically showing a partial configuration of a discharge unit 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, fig. 10 may be an enlarged view of a portion B2 of the discharge unit 300 of fig. 9.

Referring to fig. 10, a protrusion may be formed on the protrusion P of the discharge unit 300, as indicated by PA. Specifically, referring to fig. 10 together with fig. 9, the filter unit 400 may be interposed between at least two protrusions P, and the protrusions PA may be formed on surfaces of the protrusions P that are in surface contact with the filter unit 400. For example, as shown in fig. 10, a protrusion PA having a convex shape toward the filter unit 400 may be provided on one side surface (front surface) of the protrusion P2. Further, a plurality of protrusions PA may be provided on one surface of the protrusion P. In this case, the protrusion P may be configured in an embossed form due to the protrusion PA.

According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the coupling between the filter unit 400 and the protrusion P can be further improved due to the pressing force or friction of the protrusion PA on the filter unit 400. Therefore, even in the case of the injection pressure or vibration or impact of the exhaust gas, the filter unit 400 can be more stably disposed inside the exhaust unit 300.

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a drain unit 300 and a filter unit 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 11, a plurality of filter units 400 may be disposed in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 along the flow direction of the discharge gas. More specifically, in the embodiment of fig. 11, three filter units 400 (i.e., a first filter 401, a second filter 402, and a third filter 403) may be included in one discharge unit 300. Here, the first filter 401 may be interposed between the third protrusion P3 'and the fourth protrusion P4', the second filter 402 may be interposed between the first protrusion P1 'and the second protrusion P2', and the third filter 403 may be interposed between the fifth protrusion P5 'and the sixth protrusion P6'.

At this time, at least two of the three filters 401 to 403 may be configured such that the material flowing inside the discharge unit 300 must pass. For example, the exhaust gas introduced into the exhaust unit 300 through the exhaust hole H at the rear side portion may sequentially pass through the first filter 401 and the second filter 402 and then be discharged through the exhaust hole O. In addition, the exhaust gas introduced into the exhaust unit 300 through the exhaust hole H at the front side may sequentially pass through the third filter 403 and the second filter 402 and then be exhausted through the exhaust hole O. In addition, water or moisture entering the discharge unit 300 through the discharge hole O must pass through the two filters to reach the discharge hole H.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, by the plurality of filter units 400 sequentially arranged along the gas flow direction in the exhaust path, the flame or spark stopping performance, the moisture absorbing or smoking performance, and the like can be further improved. In addition, in this case, even if the performance of some filter units 400 is deteriorated or damaged, the filtering performance can be ensured at a certain level or higher by other filter units 400. In addition, in the embodiment in which carbon dioxide or steam is generated in the filter unit 400, the amount of carbon dioxide or steam generated through the plurality of filter units 400 may be increased to further enhance the fire extinguishing effect.

Further, in this embodiment, the plurality of filter units 400 may have different shapes or types. For example, the first filter 401 and the second filter 402 may have different sizes. Alternatively, the first filter 401 and the second filter 402 may comprise different materials or compositions. In this case, various performances can be ensured by various filters.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the filter unit 400 near the discharge hole O like the second filter 402 may include a material having excellent moisture absorption property, and the filter unit 400 near the discharge hole H of the module case 200 like the first filter 401 or the third filter 403 may include a material having excellent flame suppression property or fire extinguishing property. In this case, the effect of the filter unit 400 to block water and suppress flame emission can be further improved.

The module case 200 may have discharge holes H formed at both ends of one side surface. In this case, the discharge unit 300 may have a discharge hole formed between the discharge holes H at both ends. For example, referring to the embodiment of fig. 1, two discharge holes H may be formed in the left surface of the module case 200. In addition, two discharge holes H may be spaced apart in the front-rear direction in the left surface of the module case 200, and formed at the front end (end on the-Y axis direction side) and the rear end (end on the +y axis direction side), respectively. At this time, in the discharge unit 300 mounted to the left surface of the module case 200, the discharge hole O may be located at the center in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction).

In addition, discharge holes may be formed in the other surface (e.g., in the right surface) of the module case 200 at both ends in the front-rear direction. In addition, in the discharge unit 300 attached to the right surface of the module case 200, the discharge hole O may be located at the center in the front-rear direction.

According to this embodiment, since the plurality of discharge holes H are formed in one side surface, the discharge gas can be smoothly and rapidly discharged.

Specifically, in this configuration, the discharge hole O may be configured to be upwardly opened. In addition, the filter unit 400 may be installed at the drain hole O. In this case, at least a portion of the filter unit 400 may be safely prevented from being escaped toward the drain hole. Further, in an embodiment in which carbon dioxide and/or water is generated from the filter unit 400, the generated carbon dioxide or water may stay in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 without flowing out toward the discharge hole O. Therefore, the fire extinguishing effect of carbon dioxide or water can be further improved.

As shown in fig. 1 and the like, when the drain hole H is formed in the side surface of the module case 200, the drain hole H may be formed to be elongated in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). According to this embodiment, inflow and outflow of the gas through the discharge hole H can be smoother and faster. In addition, according to this embodiment, different types of gases or substances can flow in and out through the discharge hole H.

Further, in this embodiment, inflow and outflow of gas or liquid may be performed together in opposite directions. For example, in an embodiment in which a fire extinguishing substance such as carbon dioxide or water is generated by the filter unit 400, exhaust gas may be discharged from the module case 200 toward the discharge unit 300, and the fire extinguishing substance may be introduced into the module case 200 from the discharge unit 300. Specifically, the high temperature exhaust gas may be discharged from the upper portion of the exhaust hole H toward the exhaust unit 300, and a fire extinguishing substance such as carbon dioxide or water may be introduced into the module case 200 through the lower portion of the exhaust hole H.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, in a case such as thermal runaway, both external emission of exhaust gas and internal introduction of fire extinguishing material can be rapidly performed. Therefore, in this case, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery module, the safety can be further improved.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along line B3-B3' of fig. 12. However, in the configurations of fig. 12 and 13, only the module case 200 of the battery module is shown for convenience of explanation.

Referring to fig. 12 and 13, the discharge hole H may include two unit holes H1, H2 arranged in a vertical direction. That is, the upper and lower holes H1 and H2 may be provided in the left surface of the module case 200 in the vertical direction.

According to this embodiment, materials of different properties or types may flow through the two cell holes H1, H2. For example, when the exhaust gas is generated inside the module case 200, the exhaust gas may be discharged to the outside of the module case 200 through the upper hole H1 due to the high temperature characteristic, specifically toward the discharge unit 300, as indicated by an arrow F1. At this time, when carbon dioxide is generated from the filter unit 400 located inside the discharge unit 300, the carbon dioxide may move to the lower side portion because it is heavier than the discharge gas or air, and may be introduced into the module case 200 through the lower hole H2, as indicated by an arrow F2.

Thus, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, external discharge of exhaust gas and internal introduction of fire extinguishing material can be performed more smoothly and rapidly with respect to the module case 200.

Further, the upper and lower holes H1 and H2 may be configured to protrude in different directions. Specifically, as shown in fig. 12 and 13, the upper hole H1 may protrude in the outer direction of the module case 200, and the lower hole H2 may protrude in the inner direction of the module case 200. At this time, the inlets of the unit holes H1, H2 may be formed in a chamfer shape, as indicated by D3 in fig. 13. That is, the inner end of the upper hole H1 may be formed in a chamfer shape (chamfered shape), and the outer end of the lower hole H2 may be formed in a chamfer shape.

According to this embodiment, the flow in the upper and lower holes H1 and H2 in the opposite directions can be induced more smoothly. That is, since the upper hole H1 is formed to protrude outward and has an inner inlet of a chamfer shape, gas flow from the inside to the outside of the module case 200 can be more easily performed as indicated by an arrow F1. Further, since the lower hole H2 is formed to protrude inward and has an outer inlet in a chamfer shape, gas flow from the outside to the inside of the module case 200 can be more easily performed as indicated by an arrow F2.

Therefore, in this case, the external discharge of the discharge gas and the internal introduction of the fire extinguishing material can be performed more smoothly.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, only the drain unit 300 and the filter unit 400 are shown in fig. 14. However, for convenience of explanation, in a state where the discharge unit 300 is mounted to the module case 200, a portion where the discharge hole H of the module case 200 is located is shown as a dotted line.

Referring to fig. 14, the discharge unit 300 may have an inclined surface formed on the bottom, as indicated by I. Specifically, the inclined surface I may be configured to gradually decrease in a direction from the discharge hole O toward the discharge hole H. For example, as shown in fig. 14, when the discharge hole O is located at the center and the discharge hole H is located at both ends in the Y-axis direction, the bottom of the discharge unit 300 may be formed to be inclined such that the height thereof gradually decreases toward both ends.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, when a fire extinguishing substance such as carbon dioxide or water is generated by the filter unit 400, the fire extinguishing substance can easily move toward the discharge hole H along the inclined surface I of the discharge unit 300, as indicated by an arrow. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing material is not discharged toward the discharge hole O, but is well located in the inner space of the discharge unit 300 to be easily sprayed toward the discharge hole H. Therefore, the fire extinguishing effect of the fire extinguishing material can be further improved.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the exhaust gas or the like discharged through the exhaust hole H can easily flow upward toward the exhaust hole O through the inclined surface.

The filter unit 400 may be configured to be mounted to an inner space of the drain unit 300 in a state where the drain unit 300 is attached to an outer surface of the module case 200.

For example, referring to the embodiment of fig. 1 to 3, in a state in which the drain unit 300 is mounted to the left and right surfaces of the module case 200, respectively, the filter unit 400 may be inserted and mounted into the module case 200 through the drain hole O. Specifically, the filter unit 400 may be inserted downward through a drain hole O located at an upper portion of the drain unit 300 and provided in an inner space of the drain unit 300. Further, in this case, the drain unit 300 may have a configuration for guiding insertion and installation of the filter unit 400. For example, as described in the previous embodiment, the discharge unit 300 having the protrusion P in the form of a barrier may guide the insertion direction and the installation position of the filter unit 400. Specifically, in this embodiment, a stopper may be provided at the end of the protrusion P to limit the degree of insertion of the filter unit 400 and support the filter unit 400 in the upward direction, as indicated by a portion B2' of fig. 9.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery module may be more easily manufactured. Specifically, the discharge unit 300 may be mounted to the module case 200 by welding or the like. In this case, since the drain unit 300 may be welded to the module case 200 in a state in which the filter unit 400 is not inserted, the filter unit 400 may be prevented from being damaged due to high heat generated during welding. In addition, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the problem that the filter unit 400 interferes with the installation process of the discharge unit 300. Therefore, the battery module can be more easily mounted.

Further, in this embodiment, the filter unit 400 may be detached from the discharge unit 300 through the discharge hole O or the like. That is, the performance of the filter unit 400, such as moisture absorption, may deteriorate after a certain period of time. However, in this embodiment, the filter unit 400 may be replaced. Accordingly, the long-term performance of the filter unit 400 can be stably ensured.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. For convenience of explanation, fig. 15 shows a configuration before the filter unit 400 is installed inside the discharge unit 300.

Referring to fig. 15, the drain hole H may be formed in an upper side portion (e.g., upper plate) of the module case 200. In addition, the drain unit 300 may be attached to an outer side portion of the upper portion of the module case 200 to correspond to the position of the drain hole H. In particular, when a plurality of discharge holes are formed, a plurality of discharge units 300 may be formed corresponding to the number of such discharge holes.

In addition, the filter unit 400 may be inserted into the discharge hole O and located inside the discharge unit 300.

In this embodiment, the fire extinguishing material input performance of the filter unit 400 to input fire extinguishing material into the module housing 200 can be further improved. For example, when a fire extinguishing substance such as carbon dioxide or water is generated from the filter unit 400 during thermal runaway of the battery module, the generated fire extinguishing substance may be easily introduced into the module case 200 through the discharge hole H. In particular, in this case, since the discharge hole H is located in the upper portion of the module case 200, the fire extinguishing material injected into the discharge hole H can more smoothly extinguish the fire of the cell assembly 100 located inside the module case 200.

A battery pack according to the present disclosure may include one or more battery modules according to the present disclosure described above. In addition, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may further include various components other than the battery modules, for example, components of the battery pack known at the time of filing the present application, such as a BMS or a bus bar, a battery pack case, a relay, and a current sensor. In particular, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may be configured in a form in which a plurality of battery modules according to the present disclosure are accommodated inside a battery pack case.

Further, in the above-described various embodiments, the drain unit 300 and the filter unit 400 applied to the battery module may also be applied to the battery pack. This will be further described in more detail with reference to fig. 16.

Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from the top. For example, fig. 16 may be regarded as illustrating an internal configuration of the battery pack according to the present disclosure in a state in which an upper portion of the battery pack case PH is removed. The present embodiment will be described in detail based on features different from the previous embodiments.

Referring to fig. 16, holes may be formed in at least one side of the battery pack case PH, in which a plurality of battery modules M are accommodated, as indicated by V1. The battery pack holes VI may be formed such that the inner space of the battery pack case PH communicates with the outer space. Specifically, the battery holes VI may serve as passages through which the gas or the like existing in the inner space of the battery case PH is discharged to the outside.

In this configuration, the battery pack case PH may be equipped with the discharge unit 300 according to the present disclosure as described above. Specifically, as shown in fig. 16, when the battery hole VI is formed in the battery case PH, the discharge unit 300 may be attached to a portion where the battery hole VI is formed at the outer side of the battery case PH.

That is, the battery pack according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least one battery module M, a battery pack case PH configured to accommodate the at least one battery module M in an inner space thereof and having a battery pack hole VI formed therein, a drain unit 300 mounted to the battery pack case PH, and a filter unit 400 included in the drain unit 300. The discharge unit 300 may have a discharge passage V such that the discharge gas discharged from the battery pack hole VI may be introduced thereinto and discharged to the outside.

In this case, the exhaust gas generated from any of the battery modules M may pass through the battery holes VI as indicated by arrows in fig. 16, and flow into the exhaust unit 300 located outside the battery case PH. Then, as described above, the discharge can be controlled and fire extinguishing and cooling can be performed by the discharge unit 300 and the filter unit 400.

As in this embodiment, in the configuration in which the drain unit 300 and the filter unit 400 are mounted to the battery pack case PH, the description of the configuration in which the drain unit 300 and the filter unit 400 are mounted to the module case 200 may be applied identically or similarly. Therefore, this will not be described again.

Further, as shown in fig. 16, the discharge unit 300 may not be included in each battery module M. However, the discharge unit 300 may be separately attached to each of the battery modules M.

In addition, in the embodiment of fig. 16, the battery cell assembly 100 is accommodated in the module case 200 and is disposed inside the battery pack case PH in a module form. However, in the battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery cell assembly 100 may not be accommodated in the module case 200, but may be directly mounted to the battery pack case PH in a cell-pack form. In this case, the above-described battery module M may include only the cell assembly 100, not the module case 200. Further, in the inner space of the battery pack case PH, a control device such as a BMS (battery management system) and electrical components such as a relay and a current sensor may be accommodated together.

The battery module according to the present disclosure or the battery pack according to the present disclosure may be applied to a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. That is, a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include a battery module according to the present disclosure or a battery pack according to the present disclosure. In addition, the vehicle according to the present disclosure may include various other components included in the vehicle, in addition to the battery module or the battery pack. For example, a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include a vehicle body, a motor, a control device such as an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), and the like, in addition to a battery module according to the present disclosure.

In addition, the battery module according to the present disclosure or the battery pack according to the present disclosure may be applied to an Energy Storage System (ESS). That is, an energy storage system according to the present disclosure may include a battery module according to the present disclosure or a battery pack according to the present disclosure.

Further, in the present specification, terms indicating directions such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front" and "rear" are used, but these terms are merely for convenience of description and may be changed according to the position of an object or the position of an observer, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[ reference numerals ]

100: battery cell assembly

200: module shell

300: discharge unit

310: body portion, 320: bending part

321: top curved portion, 322: bottom curved portion, 323: front curved portion, 324: rear curved portion

400: filter unit

401: first filter, 402: second filter, 403: third filter

H: discharge hole

H1: upper well, H2: lower hole

O: discharge hole

P: protruding part

PA: protrusions

G: insertion part

PH: battery pack case

M: battery module

VI: battery pack hole

Claims

1. A battery module, the battery module comprising:

a battery cell assembly having at least one battery cell;

a module case configured to accommodate the battery cell assembly in an inner space of the module case, and to have a discharge hole formed therein to discharge a discharge gas generated from the battery cell assembly;

a discharge unit located at an outer side portion of the module case and configured such that the discharge gas discharged from the discharge hole is introduced into the discharge unit and discharged to the outside; and

a filter unit located at least partially inside the discharge unit and configured to filter substances introduced into the discharge unit.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the filter unit comprises a hygroscopic material.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the filter unit is configured to produce carbon dioxide.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the filter unit is configured such that gas must pass between the vent hole and a vent hole of the vent unit.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein at least one end of the drain unit is configured in a curved plate form, and at least a portion of an end of the curved portion is attached to an outer side of the module case.

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the drain unit comprises a protrusion formed on an inner surface.

7. The battery module of claim 6, wherein the protrusion of the drain unit is inserted into the filter unit.

8. The battery module of claim 6, wherein the filter unit is interposed between the protrusions of the drain unit.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit is arranged in plurality in the inner space of the exhaust unit along the flow direction of the exhaust gas.

10. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the module case has the discharge holes formed at both ends of a side surface thereof, and

the discharge unit has discharge holes formed between the discharge holes at both ends.

11. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the drain unit has an inclined surface on a bottom thereof to have a height that decreases in a direction toward the drain hole.

12. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit is configured to be mounted in an inner space of the drain unit in a state in which the drain unit is attached to an outer surface of the module case.

13. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A vehicle comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.