JP2017162601A - Module battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the substantial efficiency of a module battery, while maintaining the uniformity of temperature in a space for housing a plurality of cells.SOLUTION: In a module battery, a plurality of cells, a heater, and a soaking plate are housed in a space provided in a heat insulated container. The plurality of cells are two-dimensionally arrayed in parallel to a bottom face. Each of the plurality of cells is a sodium-sulfur battery. The heater is arranged along the bottom face and has a heating part, for heat generation, which is located at a peripheral portion along a lateral face. The heater does not generate heat at a center portion surrounded by the peripheral portion. The soaking plate is arranged along the heater and straddles the peripheral and center portions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a module battery.

  The sodium-sulfur battery is a high temperature operation type secondary battery, and is charged and discharged while being heated to about 300 ° C. For this reason, in the module battery of a sodium-sulfur battery, a plurality of cells are accommodated in a space formed in the heat insulating container and are two-dimensionally arranged parallel to the bottom surface. In addition, a heater along the bottom surface and a heater along the side surface are accommodated in the space and heat the plurality of cells. The presence of both the heater along the bottom surface and the heater along the side surface contributes to uniform temperature in the space in which the plurality of cells are accommodated. The technique described in Patent Document 1 is an example.

JP 2007-273297 A

  The heater along the bottom surface and the heater along the side surface operate by consuming electric power. For this reason, the presence of both the heater along the bottom surface and the heater along the side surface reduces the substantial charge / discharge efficiency of the module battery of the sodium-sulfur battery. This problem also occurs when the sodium-sulfur battery is replaced with a high-temperature secondary battery other than the sodium-sulfur battery.

  The present invention is made to solve this problem. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the substantial efficiency of the module battery of the high temperature operation type secondary battery while maintaining the uniformity of the temperature of the space in which the plurality of cells are accommodated.

  In a module battery, a plurality of cells, heaters, and soaking plates are accommodated in a space formed in a heat insulating container. The space is defined by a bottom surface, a top surface, and a side surface of the heat insulating container, and has a peripheral portion along the side surface and a central portion surrounded by the peripheral portion.

  The plurality of cells are two-dimensionally arranged parallel to the bottom surface. Each of the plurality of cells is a high temperature operation type secondary battery.

  The heater is disposed along the bottom surface, and includes a heat generating part that generates heat at the peripheral part, and does not generate heat at the central part.

  The soaking plate is disposed along the heater and straddles the peripheral part and the central part.

  Heat transfer from the peripheral part to the central part occurs, and the difference between the temperature of the peripheral part and the temperature of the central part becomes small. The temperature uniformity of the space in which the plurality of cells are accommodated is maintained.

  A heater along the side is not required, and the power consumed by the heater is reduced. The substantial charge / discharge efficiency of the module battery is improved.

  These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

It is a horizontal sectional view showing a module battery. It is a vertical sectional view showing a module battery. It is a top view which shows a heater. It is sectional drawing which shows a core.

1 Module Battery Each of FIGS. 1 and 2 is a schematic view showing a module battery of this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view at a position indicated by a cutting line AA in FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view at a position indicated by a cutting line BB in FIG.

  A module battery 1000 shown in each of FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a heat insulating container 1012, a plurality of cells 1014, a wiring 1016, a buffer sheet 1018, a heater 1020, soaking plates 1022 and 1024, an insulating sheet 1026, and sand 1028. The module battery 1000 may include components other than these components. One of the soaking plates 1022 and 1024 may be omitted. All or part of the buffer sheet 1018, the insulating sheet 1026, and the sand 1028 may be omitted.

  The heat insulating container 1012 includes a container main body 1042 and a lid 1044. The container body 1042 includes a side wall 1062 and a bottom wall 1064. The lid 1044 includes a top wall 1082 and a cage 1084. The top wall 1082 is placed on the upper end 1122 of the side wall 1062. As a result, the opening 1102 of the container main body 1042 is closed by the lid 1044. A space 1142 formed in the container body 1042 is defined by a side surface 1162 that the side wall 1062 has, a bottom surface 1164 that the bottom wall 1064 has, and a top surface 1168 that the top wall 1082 has, and is surrounded by the side surface 1162, the bottom surface 1164, and the top surface 1168. .

  The container body 1042 has a vacuum heat insulating structure. The lid 1044 has a vacuum heat insulating structure. The container main body 1042 may be replaced with a container main body having a heat insulating structure other than the vacuum heat insulating structure, and the lid 1044 may be replaced with a lid having a heat insulating structure other than the vacuum heat insulating structure. The heat insulating container 1012 may have a structure capable of temporarily dissipating heat.

  The heat insulating container 1012 has a rectangular solid shape. Therefore, the side surface 1162 includes surfaces 1182, 1184, 1186, and 1188, the surface 1184 faces the surface 1182 with the space 1142 interposed therebetween, and the surface 1188 faces the surface 1186 with the space 1142 interposed therebetween. The heat insulating container 1012 may be replaced with a container having a three-dimensional shape other than a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

  The plurality of cells 1014 are accommodated in the space 1142 and are two-dimensionally arranged in parallel with the bottom surface 1164.

  Each of the plurality of cells 1014 is a cylindrical sodium-sulfur battery and is set up vertically. A cylindrical sodium-sulfur battery may be replaced with a non-cylindrical sodium-sulfur battery. The sodium-sulfur battery may be replaced with a high temperature operation type secondary battery other than the sodium-sulfur battery.

  The wiring 1016 electrically connects the plurality of cells 1014, penetrates the side wall 1062, and extends from the space 1142 to the outside of the heat insulating container 1012. The wiring 1016 connects two or more blocks in series, two or more strings are connected in parallel in each of the two or more blocks, and two or more cells are connected in series in each of the two or more strings. Connected.

  When the module battery 1000 is charged, a charging current is passed through the wiring 1016 and each of the plurality of cells 1014 is charged. When the module battery 1000 is discharged, each of the plurality of cells 1014 is discharged, and a discharge current flows through the wiring 1016.

  The buffer sheet 1018 is accommodated in the space 1142 and laid on the bottom surface 1164. The buffer sheet 1018 is an aggregate of glass fibers. The shock-absorbing sheet 1018 prevents the impact from being transmitted to the plurality of cells 1014 when an impact is applied to the bottom wall 1064.

  The superposed body 1202 in which the heater 1020 and the soaking plates 1022 and 1024 are superposed is accommodated in the space 1142 and placed on the main surface 1222 of the buffer sheet 1018. Thus, each of the heater 1020 and the soaking plates 1022 and 1024 is disposed along the bottom surface 1164, close to the bottom surface 1164, and faces the bottom surface 1164.

  The heater 1020 has a plate shape and includes a heat generating part 1242 and a non-heat generating part 1244. The heat generating part 1242 is in the peripheral part 1262 of the space 1142 and generates heat. The non-heat generating portion 1244 is located in the central portion 1264 of the space 1142, and does not generate heat. Accordingly, the heater 1020 generates heat at the peripheral portion 1262 along the side surface 1162 and does not generate heat at the central portion 1264 surrounded by the peripheral portion 1262.

  The soaking plates 1022 and 1024 are arranged along one main surface 1282 and the other main surface 1284 of the heater 1020, respectively.

  The soaking plates 1022 and 1024 cover the entire main surfaces 1282 and 1284, respectively. Therefore, each of the soaking plates 1022 and 1024 is surrounded by the peripheral portion 1262 along the side surface 1162 and the peripheral portion 1262 when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 1164 when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 1164. The central portion 1264 extends from the peripheral portion 1262 to the central portion 1264.

  Each of the soaking plates 1022 and 1024 is made of a material having good thermal conductivity, preferably made of a metal or an alloy, and more preferably made of copper or aluminum.

  The soaking plates 1022 and 1024 cause heat transfer from the peripheral portion 1262 to the central portion 1264, and heat generated by the heat generating portion 1242 at the peripheral portion 1262 is transmitted to the central portion 1264.

  In the peripheral portion 1262, the amount of heat released to the outside of the heat insulating container 1012 increases, but the peripheral portion 1262 has a heat generating portion 1242. For this reason, the peripheral portion 1262 is sufficiently heated. The central portion 1264 does not have the heat generating portion 1242, but heat is transmitted from the peripheral portion 1262 to the central portion 1264 by the heat equalizing plates 1022 and 1024, and the heat dissipation amount to the outside of the heat insulating container 1012 is reduced in the central portion 1264. . For this reason, the central portion 1264 is sufficiently heated. As a result, the difference between the temperature of the peripheral portion 1262 and the temperature of the central portion 1264 becomes small, and the temperature of the space 1142 becomes uniform.

  Soaking plates 1022 and 1024 and heater 1020 eliminate the need for a heater along side 1162. Thereby, the electric power consumed by a heater reduces and the substantial charging / discharging efficiency of a module battery improves.

  The insulating sheet 1026 is accommodated in the space 1142 and placed on the main surface 1272 of the stacked body 1202. The insulating sheet 1026 is made of a material having good insulating properties, and preferably made of mica. The insulating sheet 1026 suppresses the plurality of cells 1014 from being electrically connected to the stacked body 1202.

  Sand 1028 is accommodated in the space 1142 and filled in the gaps of the cells.

2 Heater FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a heater. FIG. 3 is a plan view.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the heater 1020 includes a core 1302 and a heater wire 1304.

  The core 1302 has a plate shape and is made of a material having good insulating properties, and is preferably made of mica.

  The core 1302 includes plate-like structures 1322 and 1324. Slits 1342 and 1344 are formed in the core 1302.

  The plate-like structure 1322 has a quadrangular annular planar shape and is in the peripheral portion 1262. The plate-like structure 1324 has a rectangular planar shape and is in the central portion 1264. The heater wire 1304 is wound around the plate-like structure 1322 but not around the plate-like structure 1324. The plate-like structure 1322 and the heater wire 1304 constitute a heat generating part 1242. The plate-like structure 1324 constitutes a non-heat generating portion 1244.

  The heat generating part 1242 includes a low heat generating part 1442 and a high heat generating part 1444. The high heat generating portion 1444 has a heat generation density higher than that of the low heat generating portion 1442.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the space 1142 has four corners 1462 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 1164. The low heat generating portion 1442 is disposed at other than the four corners 1462. The high heat generating portion 1444 is disposed at the four corners 1462. As a result, the heat generated at the four corners 1462 where the amount of heat released to the outside of the heat insulating container 1012 increases becomes larger than the heat generated at other than the four corners 1462 where the amount of heat released to the outside of the heat insulating container 1012 decreases, and the temperature of the space 1142 becomes more uniform. Become. When the amount of heat radiation to the outside of the heat insulating container 1012 becomes large at a specific place other than the four corners 1462, a high heat generating portion may be arranged at the specific place. For example, when the amount of heat radiation becomes large at a place where the wiring 1016 penetrates the side wall 1062, a high heat generating portion may be arranged at the place.

  The plate-like structure 1324 is connected to the plate-like structure 1322. Accordingly, the plate-like structures 1322 and 1324 constitute a plate-like integrated object. Thereby, it becomes easy to handle the plate-like structures 1322 and 1324 integrally, and the assembly of the heater 1020 is facilitated. However, the plate-like structure 1324 may be separated from the plate-like structure 1322.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a core provided in the heater. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view at the position indicated by the cutting line CC.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the plate-like structure 1324 has the same thickness as the plate-like structure 1322 has. Therefore, one main surface 1382 and the other main surface 1384 of the plate-like structure 1324 constitute the same plane as the one main surface 1362 and the other main surface 1364 of the plate-like structure 1322, respectively. Thereby, a recessed part is not formed in the center of the heater 1020, but the several cell 1014 is arranged regularly regularly. However, the plate-like structure 1324 may have a thickness different from that of the plate-like structure 1322, and the plate-like structure 1324 may be omitted. When the plate-like structure 1324 is omitted, the non-heat generating portion 1244 is configured by the holes.

  The plate-like structure 1322 includes portions 1402, 1404, 1406, and 1408 as shown in FIG. Portions 1402, 1404, 1406 and 1408 are integrated and positioned along surfaces 1182, 1184, 1186 and 1188, respectively. Portions 1402 and 1404 are separated from the plate-like structure 1324 with slits 1342 and 1344, respectively. Each of the portions 1406 and 1408 is connected to a plate-like structure 1324. Sections 1422, 1424, 1426, and 1428 provided in heater wire 1304 are wound around portions 1402, 1404, 1406, and 1408, respectively, while sections 1422 and 1424 pass through slits 1342 and 1344, respectively.

  In the case where the soaking plate 1022 has electrical conductivity, a thin sheet having insulating properties is attached to one main surface of the composite 1380 including the core 1302 and the heater wire 1304. Thereby, it is suppressed that the heater wire 1304 is electrically connected to the soaking plate 1022.

  When the soaking plate 1024 has electrical conductivity, a thin sheet having insulating properties is attached to the other main surface of the composite 1382. Thereby, it is suppressed that the heater wire 1304 is electrically connected to the soaking plate 1024.

  The above detailed description of the invention is illustrative in all aspects and not limiting. Thus, numerous modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1000 Module Battery 1012 Heat Insulation Container 1014 Multiple Cells 1020 Heater 1022, 1024 Soaking Plate 1242 Heating Part 1244 Non-heating Part 1262 Peripheral Part 1264 Central Part 1302 Core 1304 Heater Wire 1322, 1324 Plate-like Structure 1342, 1344 Slit 1442 Low Heat Generation Part 1444 High heat generation part 1462 Four corners

Claims (6)

A bottom surface, a top surface, and a side surface; a space defined by the bottom surface, the top surface, and the side surface is formed; the space has a peripheral portion and a central portion; the peripheral portion is along the side surface; A heat insulating container having a central portion surrounded by the peripheral portion;
Each is a high temperature operation type secondary battery, a plurality of cells housed in the space and arranged two-dimensionally in parallel with the bottom surface,
A heater that is housed in the space, arranged along the bottom surface, has a heat generating part that generates heat in the peripheral part, and does not generate heat in the central part;
A heat equalizing plate that is accommodated in the space, arranged along the heater, and straddles the peripheral portion and the central portion;
A module battery comprising: The heating part is
A first plate-like structure;
A heater wire wound around the first plate-like structure;
With
The heater is
Further comprising a non-heat generating part that does not generate heat in the central part,
The non-heat generating part is
The module battery of Claim 1 provided with the 2nd plate-shaped structure which is connected with the said 1st plate-shaped structure and the said heater wire is not wound. The first plate-like structure has a first main surface and a second main surface,
The second plate-like structure has a third main surface that is coplanar with the first main surface and a fourth main surface that is coplanar with the second main surface. Module battery. The side surface has a first surface, a second surface, a third surface and a fourth surface;
The second surface is opposite the first surface;
The fourth surface is opposite the third surface;
The heater is
Comprising the first plate-like structure and the second plate-like structure, comprising a core on which the first slit and the second slit are formed;
The first plate-like structure is
A first portion disposed along the first surface and separated from the second plate-like structure across the first slit;
A second portion disposed along the second surface and separated from the second plate-like structure across the second slit;
A third portion disposed along the third surface and connected to the second plate-like structure;
A fourth portion disposed along the fourth surface and connected to the second plate-like structure;
With
The heater wire is
A first section wound around the first portion and passing through the first slit;
A second section wound around the second portion and passing through the second slit;
A third section wound around the third portion;
A fourth section wound around the fourth portion;
The module battery according to claim 2, comprising: The heater has one main surface and the other main surface;
The soaking plate is a first soaking plate, arranged along the one main surface,
The module battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a second heat equalizing plate that is accommodated in the space, is disposed along the other main surface, and straddles the peripheral portion and the central portion. The space has four corners;
The heating part is
A first heat generating portion disposed at a position other than the four corners and having a first heat generation density;
A second heat generating portion disposed at the four corners and having a second heat generation density greater than the first heat generation density;
A module battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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