JP2020155298A - Battery manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a method of manufacturing a battery enabling each battery constituting a battery row restrained by a restraining jig to be cooled efficiently in a short time.SOLUTION: In a cooling step, a chamber 80 is disposed at a first position below a battery stack 10 where the chamber is in contact with a lower surface 20d of a restraining jig 20, cooling air CA is generated by a cooling air generator 70, the generated cooling air CA is introduced into the chamber 80 through a cooling air introduction port 81, and liquid is sprayed from a liquid spray nozzle 60 into the chamber 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a battery.

Patent Document 1 describes a battery row in which a plurality of batteries having a rectangular shape are arranged in a row in the row arrangement direction, and a constraint that applies a compressive load to the battery row in the row arrangement direction to restrain the battery row. Manufacture of a battery including an aging step in which a battery stack having a jig is placed for a certain period of time in a temperature environment higher than normal temperature, and a cooling step in which the battery stack after the aging step is cooled by using a cooling device. The method is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-118048

In Patent Document 1, a groove extending in the vertical direction is provided on the surface of a spacer interposed between adjacent batteries in the rowing direction, and a groove portion of the side surface of the battery in contact with the spacer is provided between the groove portion of the spacer. It forms a flow path through which cooling air flows. In the cooling step, each battery is cooled by flowing cooling air through this flow path.

However, in the cooling method disclosed in Patent Document 1, it takes a long time to cool the battery because the area of the surface (outer surface) of the battery to which the cooling air comes into contact is small. Therefore, there has been a demand for a method capable of efficiently cooling each battery constituting the battery row constrained by the restraint jig in a short time.
The present invention has been made in view of the present situation, and provides a method for manufacturing a battery capable of efficiently cooling each battery constituting a battery row restrained by a restraint jig in a short time. The purpose is to do.

One aspect of the present invention is a battery row in which a plurality of batteries having a rectangular shape are arranged in a row in the row arrangement direction, and the battery row is subjected to a compressive load in the row arrangement direction. An aging step in which a battery stack having a restraining jig for restraining is placed for a certain period of time in a temperature environment higher than normal temperature, and a cooling step in which the battery stack after the aging step is cooled by using a cooling device. In the method for manufacturing a battery comprising, the battery row includes a first side surface facing one side in the row arrangement direction, a second side surface facing the other side in the row arrangement direction, the first side surface, and the second side surface. A third side surface extending in the rowing direction between the side surfaces, and the first side surface and the second side surface at positions opposite to the third side surface in the width direction of the battery orthogonal to the rowing direction. The restraining jig is a battery row accommodating portion for accommodating the battery row, and has a fourth side surface extending in the row arrangement direction, and presses the first side surface of the battery row. One side wall portion, a second side wall portion that presses the second side surface of the battery row, a third side wall portion that faces the third side surface of the battery row, and a fourth side wall portion that faces the fourth side surface of the battery row. A battery row accommodating portion having a fourth side wall portion and the battery row accommodating portion is provided, and the battery row accommodating portion is an upper opening that opens above the restraint jig, and is an upper surface of the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row. The battery has an upper opening in which the battery is exposed and a lower opening in which the lower surface of the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row is exposed. In the stack, the third side surface of the battery row and the third side wall portion of the restraint jig are separated from each other in the width direction of the battery, and the fourth side surface of the battery row and the restraint. The fourth side wall portion of the jig is separated from the fourth side wall portion of the battery in the width direction of the battery, and the cooling device generates cooling air for cooling the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row. The chamber includes a generator, a chamber located below the battery stack and at a first position in contact with the lower surface of the restraint jig, and a liquid spray nozzle for spraying liquid inside the chamber. Is a cooling air introduction port for introducing the cooling air generated by the cooling air generator into the inside of the chamber, and the cooling air introduction port provided in the lower part of the chamber and the said Located on the ceiling of the chamber, with the chamber arranged in the first position, the lower surface of the battery row through the lower opening of the battery row housing It is a cooling air outlet arranged at a position facing the battery row, and the cooling air introduced into the inside of the chamber through the cooling air introduction port is passed through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion to the lower surface of the battery row. The cooling air discharge port has a cooling air discharge port that discharges toward, and the cooling air discharge port has an elongated shape extending in the rowing direction with the chamber arranged at the first position, and the cooling air is discharged. The width direction dimension of the discharge port is the largest at the central position of the lower surface of the battery row facing the central portion in the row placement direction, and decreases as the distance from the center position toward the row placement direction increases. The battery stack has a sloping shape, and the cooling air introduced into the inside of the battery stack through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion allows the cooling air introduced into the inside of the battery stack to move the lower part of the battery row to the first portion of the battery array accommodating portion. After flowing toward the three side wall portions, the battery flows upward in the space between the third side wall portion and the third side surface of the battery row, and the lower part of the battery row is the battery row accommodating portion. After flowing toward the fourth side wall portion, the battery row is configured to flow upward in the space between the fourth side wall portion and the fourth side surface of the battery row, and the cooling step is performed on the chamber. Is arranged at the first position, a cooling air is generated by the cooling air generator, and the generated cooling air is introduced into the inside of the chamber through the cooling air introduction port, and the liquid is sprayed. This is a method for manufacturing a battery that sprays the liquid from a nozzle into the inside of the chamber.

In the above-mentioned manufacturing method, in the cooling step, the battery stack that has completed the aging step is cooled by using a cooling device. Specifically, a plurality of batteries included in the battery stack that has completed the aging process are cooled in the state of the battery stack.

The battery stack is a battery row in which a plurality of rectangular parallelepiped batteries are arranged in a row in the row arrangement direction, and a restraint jig for restraining the battery row by applying a compressive load to the battery row in the row arrangement direction. Has. The battery array has an upper surface, a lower surface, and four side surfaces. The four side surfaces of the battery row extend in the rowing direction between the first side surface facing one side in the rowing direction, the second side surface facing the other side in the rowing direction, and the first side surface and the second side surface. A third side surface is located on the opposite side of the third side surface in the width direction of the battery (direction orthogonal to the row arrangement direction and the vertical direction) and extends between the first side surface and the second side surface in the row arrangement direction. There are four sides.

Further, the restraint jig has a battery row accommodating portion for accommodating the battery array. The battery row accommodating portion includes a first side wall portion that presses the first side surface of the battery row toward the other side in the row arrangement direction, and a second side wall portion that presses the second side surface of the battery row toward one side in the row arrangement direction. It has a third side wall portion that faces the third side surface of the battery row in the width direction, and a fourth side wall portion that faces the fourth side surface of the battery row in the width direction. The third side wall portion and the fourth side wall portion are side wall portions extending from the position of the first side wall portion to the position of the second side wall portion in the row arrangement direction. Further, the battery row accommodating portion is an upper opening that opens above the restraint jig, and is an upper opening that exposes the upper surfaces of the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row upward and below the restraint jig. It is a lower opening that opens, and has a lower opening that exposes the lower surfaces of a plurality of batteries constituting the battery row downward.
In this battery stack, the third side surface of the battery row and the third side wall portion of the restraint jig are separated from each other in the width direction of the battery (direction orthogonal to the row arrangement direction and the vertical direction), and the battery row The fourth side surface and the fourth side wall portion of the restraint jig are separated from each other in the width direction of the battery.

Further, the cooling device is arranged at a first position below the battery stack and in contact with the lower surface of the restraint jig, and a cooling air generating device for generating cooling air for cooling a plurality of batteries constituting the battery row. A chamber to be cooled and a liquid spray nozzle for spraying a liquid (spraying the liquid in the form of a mist) inside the chamber are provided.

Of these, the chamber is a cooling air introduction port for introducing the cooling air generated by the cooling air generator into the inside of the chamber, and is provided at a portion located on the lower side (lower side) of the chamber. It has a cooling air inlet. Further, this chamber has a cooling air outlet provided on the ceiling portion (upper wall portion) of the chamber. This cooling air outlet is arranged at a position facing the lower surface of the battery row through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion with the chamber arranged at the first position, and is introduced into the chamber through the cooling air inlet. It is an opening that discharges the cooled air to the lower surface of the battery row (a plurality of batteries constituting the battery row) through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion. Therefore, the cooling air introduced into the chamber through the cooling air introduction port flows from the lower side to the upper side in the chamber, and is discharged to the outside of the chamber through the cooling air discharge port provided in the ceiling portion. The released cooling air is introduced into the battery stack through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion and hits the lower surface of the battery row (a plurality of batteries constituting the battery row).

Further, in the battery stack, the cooling air introduced into the inside of the battery stack through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion flows below the battery row toward the third side wall portion of the battery array accommodating portion, and then the third. It flows upward in the space between the side wall portion and the third side surface of the battery row, and flows downward of the battery row toward the fourth side wall portion of the battery row accommodating portion, and then the fourth side wall portion and the battery row. It is configured to flow upward in the space between the fourth side surface of the battery.

Then, in the above-mentioned manufacturing method, in the cooling step, with the chamber arranged at the first position, the cooling air is generated by the cooling air generator, and the generated cooling air is passed through the cooling air introduction port. The liquid is sprayed into the inside of the chamber from the liquid spray nozzle while being introduced into the inside of the chamber. As a result, for each battery constituting the battery row, the lower surface, the third surface (the surface forming the third side surface of the battery row), and the fourth surface (the surface forming the fourth side surface of the battery row) are cooled. Each battery can be cooled by contacting the wind. Furthermore, the liquid (mist-like liquid) sprayed from the liquid spray nozzle into the chamber comes into contact with (adheres) to the lower surface of each battery constituting the battery row and vaporizes (heat of vaporization from the lower surface of each battery). By robbing), each battery can be cooled.

Specifically, the cooling air generated by the cooling air generator is introduced into the chamber through the cooling air inlet, and then flows from the bottom to the top in the chamber to cool the ceiling. It is discharged to the outside of the chamber through the wind outlet. The released cooling air is introduced into the battery stack through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion and hits the lower surface of each battery constituting the battery row. The cooling air that hits the lower surface of each battery flows below the battery row toward the third side wall of the battery row accommodating portion, and then is a space between the third side wall portion and the third side surface of the battery row (third). It flows upward in (1 space), and flows below the battery row toward the 4th side wall of the battery row accommodating portion, and then between the 4th side wall portion and the 4th side surface of the battery row. It flows upward in the space (referred to as the second space). As the cooling air flows upward in the first space, the cooling air comes into contact with the third surface of each battery. Further, when the cooling air flows upward in the second space, the cooling air comes into contact with the fourth surface of each battery. In this way, for each battery constituting the battery row, cooling air can be brought into contact with the lower surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface, and heat can be taken from these three surfaces. As a result, each battery constituting the battery row can be efficiently cooled in a short time.

Further, in the above-mentioned cooling step, the liquid (mist-like liquid) sprayed from the liquid spray nozzle into the chamber is discharged to the outside of the chamber together with the cooling air through the cooling air outlet, and then the battery row accommodating portion. It is introduced inside the battery stack through the lower opening. As a result, the mist-like liquid comes into contact with (adheres) to the lower surface of each battery constituting the battery row. After that, the atomized liquid (mist) that comes into contact with (adheres) to the lower surface of each battery constituting the battery row is vaporized by removing heat from the lower surface of each battery to cool each battery. Can be done. As described above, in the above-mentioned cooling step, each battery constituting the battery row can be cooled not only by the cooling air but also by the atomized liquid. As described above, in the above-mentioned cooling step, each battery can be efficiently cooled in a short time.

By the way, among a plurality of batteries included in a battery row, a battery closer to the center in the row arrangement direction tends to have a higher temperature in the aging process, and heat is less likely to escape even after the aging step (the temperature is less likely to decrease). Therefore, in order to reduce the temperature difference of each battery included in the battery row, in the cooling step, the degree of cooling of a plurality of batteries included in the battery row is increased as the battery is closer to the center in the row arrangement direction. Is required.

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned manufacturing method, the cooling air outlet of the chamber has an elongated shape extending in the rowing direction with the chamber arranged at the first position. Specifically, the cooling air outlet has the largest dimension in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the rowing direction and the vertical direction) at the central position of the lower surface of the battery row facing the central portion in the rowing direction. , It has a shape that becomes smaller as it goes away from the central position in the rowing direction.
As a result, in the cooling step, the amount of cooling air and mist-like liquid discharged to the outside of the chamber through the cooling air outlet is the largest at the central position of the cooling air outlet and decreases as the distance from the cooling air outlet increases. Become. Therefore, the amount of cooling air and mist-like liquid introduced into the battery stack from the cooling air outlet of the chamber through the lower opening of the battery row housing and in contact with each battery constituting the battery row is the row. Batteries closer to the center in the placement direction will have more batteries. As a result, with respect to the plurality of batteries included in the battery row, the degree of cooling can be increased as the battery is closer to the center in the row arrangement direction, so that the temperature difference between the batteries included in the battery row can be reduced.

It is a figure explaining the aging process which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is a figure explaining the cooling process which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is a figure explaining the cooling air outlet of the chamber of a cooling device. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the cooling process which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the cooling process which concerns on Example 2.

(Example 1)
Next, a method for manufacturing the battery according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an aging process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cooling step according to the first embodiment.
First, in the assembly process, a plurality of batteries 100 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape (see FIG. 1) are assembled. In the first embodiment, a lithium ion secondary battery is manufactured as the battery 100. After that, each battery 100 is initially charged or the like. Next, the plurality of batteries 100 are restrained by the restraint jig 20 to form the battery stack 10 (see FIG. 1). The battery stack 10 is compressed in a row-arrangement direction DL with respect to a battery row 30 in which a plurality of batteries 100 are arranged in a row in a row-arrangement direction DL (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1) and a battery row 30. It has a restraint jig 20 that restrains the battery row 30 by applying a load.

The battery row 30 is composed of a plurality of batteries 100, and has an upper surface 35, a lower surface 36, and four side surfaces. The four side surfaces of the battery row 30 are a first side surface 31 facing one side (front side in FIG. 1) of the row placement direction DL (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1) and the other side of the row placement direction DL (FIG. 1). A third side extending in the rowing direction DL (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1) between the second side surface (not shown) facing the back side in 1 and the first side surface 31 and the second side surface (not shown). The first side surface 33 and the width direction DW of the battery 100 (direction orthogonal to the row arrangement direction DL and the vertical direction DH, the left-right direction in FIG. 1) are located on the opposite side of the third side surface 33 (left side in FIG. 1). A fourth side surface 34 extending in the rowing direction DL between the side surface 31 and the second side surface (not shown). A resin spacer (not shown) is interposed between the batteries 100 adjacent to the DL in the row arrangement direction (see FIG. 1).

The restraint jig 20 is a known restraint jig, and has a battery row accommodating portion 20b for accommodating the battery array 30. The battery row accommodating portion 20b has a first side wall portion (not shown) that presses the first side surface 31 of the battery row 30 toward the other side (back side of the paper surface) in the row placement direction DL (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1). , A second side wall portion (not shown) that presses the second side surface (not shown) of the battery row 30 toward one side (front side of the paper surface) of the row arrangement direction DL, and a battery in the width direction DW (left-right direction in FIG. 1). It has a third side wall portion 23 facing the third side surface 33 of the row 30, a fourth side wall portion 24 facing the fourth side surface 34 of the battery row 30 in the width direction DW, and bottom portions 25 and 26. The third side wall portion 23 and the fourth side wall portion 24 are side wall portions extending from the position of the first side wall portion (not shown) to the position of the second side wall portion (not shown) in the row arrangement direction DL (FIG. 1). reference).

Further, the battery row accommodating portion 20b has an upper opening 27 that opens above the restraint jig 20. The upper surface 35 of the battery row 30 (the upper surface 105 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) is exposed above the restraint jig 20 through the upper opening 27. Further, the battery row accommodating portion 20b has a lower opening 28 that opens below the restraint jig 20. The lower opening 28 is an opening located between the bottoms 25 and 26. The lower surface 36 of the battery row 30 (lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) is exposed below the restraint jig 20 through the lower opening 28 (see FIG. 1).

In the battery stack 10, the third side surface 33 of the battery row 30 (third surface 103 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) and the third side wall portion 23 of the restraint jig 20 are DW in the width direction (FIG. In No. 1, the fourth side surface 34 of the battery row 30 (the fourth side 104 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) is separated in the left-right direction, the direction orthogonal to the row arrangement direction DL and the vertical direction DH). ) And the fourth side wall portion 24 of the restraint jig 20 are separated from each other in the width direction DW. Further, in the battery stack 10, the lower surface 36 of the battery row 30 (lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) and the bottom portions 25 and 26 of the restraint jig 20 are separated from each other in the vertical direction DH. (See FIG. 1). Therefore, in the battery stack 10, the third side surface of the battery row 30 is located between the lower surface 36 of the battery row 30 (the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) and the bottoms 25 and 26 of the restraint jig 20. Between 33 (third surface 103 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) and the third side wall portion 23 of the restraint jig 20, and the fourth side surface 34 of the battery row 30 (constituting the battery row 30). The structure is such that the cooling air CA, which will be described later, can flow between the fourth surface 104) of each battery 100 and the fourth side wall portion 24 of the restraint jig 20.

Next, in the aging step, the battery stack 10 is placed in a temperature environment higher than room temperature (for example, 60 ° C.) for a certain period of time. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the battery stack 10 is placed in a high temperature aging chamber 40 held at a constant temperature (for example, 60 ° C.) higher than room temperature for a certain period of time, and each of them is placed. Aging the battery 100.
Then, in the cooling step, the battery stack 10 (each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) that has completed the aging step is cooled by using the cooling device 50 (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling device 50 includes a cooling air generator 70 that generates a cooling air CA for cooling each of the batteries 100 constituting the battery row 30, and a restraint jig below the battery stack 10. A chamber 80 arranged at a first position (position shown in FIG. 2) in contact with the lower surface 20d of the tool 20, and a liquid spray nozzle 60 that sprays a liquid inside the chamber 80 to generate a mist liquid M (mist). And. In the first embodiment, a known blower (blower) is used as the cooling air generator 70.

The chamber 80 has a cooling air introduction port 81 for introducing the cooling air CA generated by the cooling air generator 70 into the chamber 80. The cooling air introduction port 81 is provided in a portion (specifically, a lower portion of the side wall portion 86) located on the lower side (lower side) of the chamber 80. Further, a duct 75 connected to the air outlet of the cooling air generator 70 is connected to the cooling air introduction port 81 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the cooling air CA generated by the cooling air generator 70 is introduced into the chamber 80 from the cooling air introduction port 81 through the duct 75.

Further, the chamber 80 has a cooling air discharge port 82 provided on the ceiling portion 83 (upper wall portion) of the chamber 80. The cooling air discharge port 82 has a lower surface 36 (battery row) of the battery row 30 through the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b in a state where the chamber 80 is arranged at the above-mentioned first position (position shown in FIG. 2). The cooling air CA, which is arranged at a position facing the lower surface 106) of each battery 100 constituting the 30 and introduced into the chamber 80 through the cooling air introduction port 81, is introduced into the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b. It is an opening for discharging toward the lower surface 36 of the battery row 30 (lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) through the battery row 30 (see FIG. 2).

Therefore, the cooling air CA introduced into the chamber 80 through the cooling air introduction port 81 flows in the chamber 80 from the lower side to the upper side, and flows through the cooling air discharge port 82 provided in the ceiling portion 83 to the chamber 80. It is released to the outside of. The discharged cooling air CA is introduced into the battery stack 10 through the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b, and is introduced into the lower surface 36 of the battery row 30 (the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30). ) Will be hit. As for the internal dimensions of the chamber 80, the cooling air CA introduced inside the chamber 80 is rectified through the cooling air introduction port 81, and is discharged to the outside of the chamber 80 through the cooling air discharge port 82 provided on the ceiling portion 83. The dimensions are such that the laminar flow flows from the bottom to the top.

The chamber 80 has an annular seal rubber 85 provided on the upper surface 84 (outer surface of the ceiling portion 83) of the chamber 80 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Therefore, in the chamber 80, the seal rubber 85 is in close contact with the lower surface 20d of the restraint jig 20 (outer surfaces of the bottoms 25 and 26), and the first position (below the battery stack 10 and the lower surface 20d of the restraint jig 20). It is placed at the position where it comes into contact with. As a result, the cooling air discharge port 82 of the chamber 80 and the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b are airtightly communicated with each other (see FIG. 2).

Further, in the battery stack 10, the cooling air CA introduced into the inside of the battery stack 10 through the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b causes the third side wall portion 23 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b below the battery row 30. After flowing toward (to the right in FIG. 2), the battery flows upward in the space (referred to as the first space SP1) between the third side wall portion 23 and the third side surface 33 of the battery row 30 and the battery. The space (third) between the fourth side wall portion 24 and the fourth side surface 34 of the battery row 30 after flowing below the row 30 toward the fourth side wall portion 24 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b (to the left in FIG. 2). It is configured to flow upward in (referred to as two-space SP2).

Further, the liquid spray nozzle 60 is provided in a portion (specifically, an upper portion of the side wall portion 86) located on the upper side (upper side) of the chamber 80 in a manner in which the injection port 61 is arranged inside the chamber 80. Has been done. The liquid spray nozzle 60 sprays a liquid inside the chamber 80 to generate a mist liquid M (mist). More specifically, the liquid in the liquid container (not shown) is supplied to the liquid spray nozzle 60 at high pressure by a pump (not shown), and the liquid is sprayed into the chamber 80 from the injection port 61 of the liquid spray nozzle 60. Generates atomized liquid M (mist).

In the cooling step of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the cooling air CA is generated by the cooling air generator 70 in a state where the chamber 80 is arranged at the above-mentioned first position (position shown in FIG. 2). While introducing the generated cooling air CA into the inside of the chamber 80 through the cooling air introduction port 81, the liquid is sprayed from the liquid spray nozzle 60 into the inside of the chamber 80 to generate a mist liquid M (mist). ..

As a result, for each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30, the lower surface 106, the third surface 103 (the surface forming the third side surface 33 of the battery row 30), and the fourth surface 104 (the fourth side surface of the battery row 30). The cooling air CA can be brought into contact with the surface forming the 34) to cool each battery 100. Further, the atomized liquid M sprayed from the liquid spray nozzle 60 into the chamber 80 comes into contact with (adheres) to the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30 and vaporizes, so that each battery 100 is vaporized. Can be cooled.

Specifically, the cooling air CA generated by the cooling air generator 70 is introduced into the chamber 80 through the cooling air introduction port 81, and then flows through the chamber 80 from below to above, and the ceiling portion. It is discharged to the outside of the chamber 80 through the cooling air discharge port 82 provided in 83. The released cooling air CA is introduced into the battery stack 10 through the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b and hits the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30. As a result, the cooling air CA can be brought into contact with the lower surface 106 of each battery 100, and heat can be taken from the lower surface 106 of each battery 100.

Further, the cooling air CA that hits the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 flows below the battery row 30 toward the third side wall portion 23 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b, and then flows into the third side wall portion 23 and the battery row 30. After flowing upward in the first space SP1 between the third side surface 33 and the lower side of the battery row 30 toward the fourth side wall portion 24 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b, the fourth It flows upward in the second space SP2 between the side wall portion 24 and the fourth side surface 34 of the battery row 30. When the cooling air CA flows upward in the first space SP1, the cooling air CA comes into contact with the third surface 103 of each battery 100 from the third surface 103 of each battery 100. You can take away the heat. Further, when the cooling air CA flows upward in the second space SP2, the cooling air CA comes into contact with the fourth surface 104 of each battery 100, so that the fourth surface of each battery 100 is contacted. You can take heat from 104.

In this way, for each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30, the cooling air CA is brought into contact with the lower surface 106, the third surface 103, and the fourth surface 104, and these three surfaces (lower surface 106, third surface 106, third surface 104) are brought into contact with each other. Each battery 100 can be cooled by removing heat from the surface 103 and the fourth surface 104). As a result, each battery 100 contained in the battery stack 10 can be efficiently cooled in a short time.

Further, in the cooling step of the first embodiment, the liquid (mist-like liquid M) sprayed from the liquid spray nozzle 60 into the chamber 80 is discharged to the outside of the chamber 80 together with the cooling air CA through the cooling air discharge port 82. After that, it is introduced into the battery stack 10 through the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b. As a result, the mist-like liquid M comes into contact with (adheres) to the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30. After that, the atomized liquid M (mist) that has come into contact with (adhered to) the lower surface 106 of each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30 is vaporized by removing heat from the lower surface 106 of each battery 100, so that each of them is vaporized. The battery 100 can be cooled. As described above, in the cooling step of the first embodiment, each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30 can be cooled not only by the cooling air CA but also by the atomized liquid M. As described above, in the cooling step of the first embodiment, each battery 100 can be efficiently cooled in a short time.

By the way, among the plurality of batteries 100 included in the battery row 30, the battery 100 closer to the center of the row placement direction DL (the direction in which the plurality of batteries 100 are lined up, the direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 2, and the vertical direction in FIG. 3) , The temperature tends to be high in the aging process, and heat does not easily escape even after the aging process (the temperature does not easily decrease). Therefore, conventionally, in order to reduce the temperature difference of each battery 100 included in the battery row 30, in the cooling step, the plurality of batteries 100 included in the battery row 30 are charged with the battery 100 near the center of the row arrangement direction DL. It was required to increase the degree of cooling.

On the other hand, in the first embodiment, the cooling air discharge port 82 of the chamber 80 has an elongated shape extending in the row arrangement direction DL with the chamber 80 arranged at the above-mentioned first position (position shown in FIG. 2). I'm doing it. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the cooling air discharge port 82 has a dimension W in the width direction DW (direction orthogonal to the row-arrangement direction DL and the vertical direction DH, the left-right direction in FIGS. 2 and 3). Of the lower surface 36 of the battery row 30, the largest is in the central position LC facing the central portion of the row-arrangement direction DL, and as the distance from the central position LC toward the row-arrangement direction DL increases (in FIG. It has a shape that becomes smaller (according to). Note that FIG. 3 is a plan view (top view) of the chamber 80.

As a result, in the cooling step of the first embodiment, the amount of the cooling air CA and the atomized liquid M discharged to the outside of the chamber 80 through the cooling air discharge port 82 is the largest in the central position LC of the cooling air discharge port 82. The number decreases as the distance from the center position LC to the rowing direction DL increases. Therefore, the cooling air CA and mist that are introduced into the battery stack 10 from the cooling air outlet 82 of the chamber 80 through the lower opening 28 of the battery row accommodating portion 20b and come into contact with each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30. The amount of the state liquid M increases as the battery 100 near the center of the row arrangement direction DL increases (the battery 100 near both ends decreases). As a result, with respect to the plurality of batteries 100 included in the battery row 30, the degree of cooling can be increased as the batteries 100 closer to the center of the row arrangement direction DL can increase the degree of cooling, so that the temperature difference between the batteries 100 included in the battery row 30 can be increased. It can be made smaller.

Here, the flow (procedure) of the cooling process of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the cooling process according to the first embodiment. First, the chamber 80 is arranged at the above-mentioned first position (position shown in FIG. 2) with respect to the battery stack 10 that has completed the aging step (see FIG. 2). In this state, in step S1 (see FIG. 4), the cooling air CA is started to be generated by the cooling air generator 70. Specifically, the power of the cooling air generator 70 is turned on, the cooling air CA is generated by the cooling air generator 70, and the generated cooling air CA is passed through the cooling air introduction port 81 inside the chamber 80. I will introduce it to.

Then, in step S2 (see FIG. 4), spraying of a liquid (for example, water) by the liquid spray nozzle 60 is started. Specifically, by turning on the power of a pump (not shown) connected to the liquid spray nozzle 60, the liquid in the liquid container (not shown) is supplied to the liquid spray nozzle 60 at high pressure by the pump (not shown). , A liquid is sprayed into the inside of the chamber 80 from the injection port 61 of the liquid spray nozzle 60 to generate a mist liquid M (mist).

After that, in step S3 (see FIG. 4), it is determined whether or not it is the cooling end time. Specifically, it is confirmed whether or not a preset cooling time (for example, 15 minutes) has elapsed from the time when the cooling air CA is started to be generated by the cooling air generator 70 in step S1, and then cooled. When the time has passed, it is determined that the cooling end time is (YES). On the other hand, if the cooling time has not elapsed, it is determined that it is not the cooling end time (NO), and the process of step S3 is repeated until the cooling time elapses.

If it is determined in step S3 that the cooling end time is (YES), the process proceeds to step S4 (see FIG. 4) to end the spraying of the liquid (for example, water) by the liquid spray nozzle 60. Specifically, by turning off the power of a pump (not shown) connected to the liquid spray nozzle 60, the supply of the liquid to the liquid spray nozzle 60 is stopped. As a result, the spraying of the liquid from the liquid spray nozzle 60 into the chamber 80 is stopped. Next, the process proceeds to step S5 (see FIG. 4), and the power of the cooling air generator 70 is turned off to end the generation (delivery) of the cooling air CA by the cooling air generator 70. As a result, the cooling step of the first embodiment is completed.

As described above, the cooling air CA is from the start of the generation of the cooling air CA by the cooling air generator 70 in step S1 to the end of the generation of the cooling air CA by the cooling air generator 70 in step S5. Allows each battery 100 contained in the battery stack 10 to be cooled. Further, from the start of spraying the liquid by the liquid spray nozzle 60 in step S2 to the end of spraying the liquid by the liquid spray nozzle 60 in step S4, the atomized liquid M generated from the liquid spray nozzle 60 Also, each battery 100 contained in the battery stack 10 can be cooled.

The processing of steps S1 to S5 described above is controlled by, for example, a controller (not shown). After the cooling step, a predetermined step (inspection step or the like) is performed on each battery 100 to complete each battery 100.

(Example 2)
Next, a method of manufacturing the battery according to the second embodiment will be described. In addition, this Example 2 is different from Example 1 only in the cooling step, and the others are the same. More specifically, the cooling step of the second embodiment is different from the cooling step of the first embodiment in that the liquid is sprayed intermittently, and the other steps are the same. Therefore, here, the points different from those of the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the same points will be omitted or simplified. In the cooling step of the second embodiment, the same cooling device 50 as that of the first embodiment is used.

First, as in the first embodiment, in the assembling step, a plurality of batteries 100 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape are assembled. After that, each battery 100 is initially charged or the like. Next, as in the first embodiment, the plurality of batteries 100 are restrained by the restraint jig 20 to form the battery stack 10 (see FIG. 1). Next, in the same aging step as in Example 1, the battery stack 10 is placed in a temperature environment higher than room temperature (for example, 60 ° C.) for a certain period of time to age each battery 100 (see FIG. 1). ).

Then, in the cooling step, the battery stack 10 (each battery 100 constituting the battery row 30) that has completed the aging step is cooled by using the cooling device 50 (see FIG. 2). FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the cooling process according to the second embodiment. First, similarly to the first embodiment, the chamber 80 is arranged at the above-mentioned first position (position shown in FIG. 2) with respect to the battery stack 10 that has completed the aging step (see FIG. 2). In this state, in step T1 (see FIG. 5), the cooling air CA is started to be generated by the cooling air generator 70. Specifically, as in step S1 of the first embodiment, the power of the cooling air generator 70 is turned on, the cooling air CA is generated by the cooling air generator 70, and the generated cooling air CA is generated. It is introduced into the chamber 80 through the cooling air introduction port 81.

Then, in step T2 (see FIG. 5), spraying of a liquid (for example, water) by the liquid spray nozzle 60 is started. Specifically, as in step S2 of the first embodiment, by turning on the power of the pump (not shown) connected to the liquid spray nozzle 60, the liquid in the liquid container (not shown) is removed by the pump (not shown). The liquid is supplied to the liquid spray nozzle 60 at high pressure, and the liquid is sprayed into the chamber 80 from the injection port 61 of the liquid spray nozzle 60 to generate a mist liquid M (mist).

Then, in step T3, it is determined whether or not the liquid spray stop time is reached. Specifically, it is confirmed whether or not the preset liquid spray time (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed from the time when the liquid spray nozzle 60 starts spraying the liquid in step T2, and the liquid spray time When is elapsed, it is determined that it is the liquid spray stop time (YES). On the other hand, when the liquid spraying time has not elapsed, it is determined that the liquid spraying stop time is not (NO), and the process of step T3 is repeated until the liquid spraying time elapses.

If it is determined in step T3 that the liquid spray stop time is (YES), the process proceeds to step T4, and the spraying of the liquid (for example, water) by the liquid spray nozzle 60 is stopped. Specifically, by turning off the power of a pump (not shown) connected to the liquid spray nozzle 60, the supply of the liquid to the liquid spray nozzle 60 is stopped. As a result, the spraying of the liquid from the liquid spray nozzle 60 to the inside of the chamber 80 is temporarily stopped (interrupted).

Next, in step T5, it is determined whether or not the liquid spray stop period (interruption time) has elapsed. Specifically, it is confirmed whether or not the preset liquid spray stop period (for example, 2 minutes) has elapsed, counting from the time when the liquid spray by the liquid spray nozzle 60 is stopped in step T4. When it is confirmed that the liquid spray stop period (liquid spray interruption time) has elapsed, it is determined that the liquid spray stop period has elapsed (YES). On the other hand, when it is confirmed that the liquid spray stop period has not elapsed, it is determined that the liquid spray stop period has not elapsed (NO), and the process of step T5 is repeated until the liquid spray stop period elapses. ..

If it is determined in step T5 that the liquid spray stop period has elapsed (YES), the process proceeds to step T6, and it is determined whether or not the number of liquid sprays has reached a preset number of times (for example, 3 times). More specifically, "from the start of spraying the liquid by the liquid spray nozzle 60 in step T2 to the stop of spraying the liquid by the liquid spray nozzle 60 in step T4, the liquid spray nozzle 60 to the chamber 80 It is determined whether or not the number of times of this liquid spraying has reached a preset number of times (for example, 3 times), with "continuing to spray the liquid into the inside of the water" as one liquid spraying.

The number of liquid sprays is equal to the number of treatments in step T2 and the number of treatments in step T4. Therefore, in step T6, for example, after performing the processing of step T1, whether or not the number of processing of step T2 or the number of processing of step T4 reaches a preset number of times (for example, 3 times). It may be judged.

If it is determined in step T6 that the number of liquid sprays has not reached the preset number of times (NO), the process returns to step T2, and the processes of steps T2 to T5 described above are performed again. After that, in step T6, when it is determined that the number of liquid sprays has reached the preset number of times (YES), the process proceeds to step T7, and the power of the cooling air generator 70 is turned off to turn off the cooling air generator 70. The generation (delivery) of the cooling air CA is terminated. As a result, the cooling step of the second embodiment is completed.

As described above, in the cooling step of the second embodiment, the generation of the cooling air CA by the cooling air generator 70 is started in step T1, and then the generation of the cooling air CA by the cooling air generator 70 is generated in step T7. Until the end, each battery 100 contained in the battery stack 10 can be cooled by the cooling air CA. Further, during this period, each battery 100 contained in the battery stack 10 can be cooled intermittently by the atomized liquid M generated from the liquid spray nozzle 60.

The processing of steps T1 to T7 described above is controlled by, for example, a controller (not shown). After the cooling step, a predetermined step (inspection step or the like) is performed on each battery 100 to complete each battery 100.
Although the present invention has been described above with reference to Examples 1 and 2, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned Examples and can be appropriately modified and applied without departing from the gist thereof. Nor.

10 Battery stack 20 Restraint jig 20b Battery row accommodating portion 20d Bottom surface 23 Third side wall portion 24 Fourth side wall portion 27 Upper opening 28 Lower opening 30 Battery row 31 First side surface 33 Third side surface 34 Fourth side surface 35 Top surface 36 Bottom surface 40 High temperature aging chamber 50 Cooling device 60 Liquid spray nozzle 70 Cooling air generator 80 Chamber 81 Cooling air inlet 82 Cooling air discharge port 83 Ceiling 85 Seal rubber 100 Battery 105 Top surface 106 Bottom surface CA Cooling air DH Vertical direction DL DW width direction LC center position M atomized liquid (mist)

Claims (1)

A battery row in which a plurality of batteries having a rectangular parallelepiped shape are arranged in a row in the row arrangement direction, and a restraint jig for restraining the battery row by applying a compressive load to the battery row in the row arrangement direction. An aging process in which the battery stack is placed in a temperature environment higher than normal temperature for a certain period of time,
In a method for manufacturing a battery, which comprises a cooling step of cooling the battery stack after the aging step by using a cooling device.
The battery row has a first side surface facing one side in the row arrangement direction, a second side surface facing the other side in the row arrangement direction, and a row arrangement direction between the first side surface and the second side surface. Extends in the rowing direction between the first side surface and the second side surface at a position opposite to the third side surface in the width direction of the battery orthogonal to the rowing direction. Has a fourth aspect,
The restraint jig is a battery row accommodating portion for accommodating the battery row, and has a first side wall portion that presses the first side surface of the battery row and a second side wall portion that presses the second side surface of the battery row. The battery row accommodating portion includes a side wall portion, a third side wall portion facing the third side surface of the battery row, and a fourth side wall portion facing the fourth side surface of the battery row.
The battery row accommodating portion is an upper opening that opens above the restraint jig, and is an upper opening that exposes the upper surfaces of the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row and below the restraint jig. It has a lower opening that opens, and has a lower opening that exposes the lower surfaces of the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row.
In the battery stack, the third side surface of the battery row and the third side wall portion of the restraint jig are separated from each other in the width direction of the battery, and are separated from the fourth side surface of the battery row. The fourth side wall portion of the restraint jig is separated from the fourth side wall portion in the width direction of the battery.
The cooling device includes a cooling air generator that generates cooling air for cooling the plurality of batteries constituting the battery row, and a first unit that is below the battery stack and contacts the lower surface of the restraint jig. A chamber arranged at a position and a liquid spray nozzle for spraying a liquid inside the chamber are provided.
The chamber is a cooling air introduction port for introducing the cooling air generated by the cooling air generator into the inside of the chamber, and is a cooling air introduction port provided in a lower portion of the chamber. , The cooling air release is located on the ceiling of the chamber, and is arranged at a position facing the lower surface of the battery row through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion in a state where the chamber is arranged at the first position. A cooling air outlet which is an outlet and discharges the cooling air introduced into the chamber through the cooling air inlet toward the lower surface of the battery row through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion. Have,
The cooling air outlet has an elongated shape extending in the rowing direction with the chamber arranged at the first position, and the dimension of the cooling air outlet in the width direction is the lower surface of the battery row. Among them, it has a shape that is the largest at the central position facing the portion located at the center in the rowing direction and becomes smaller as the distance from the center position in the rowing direction increases.
In the battery stack, cooling air introduced into the inside of the battery stack through the lower opening of the battery row accommodating portion flows below the battery row toward the third side wall portion of the battery row accommodating portion. After that, the battery flows upward in the space between the third side wall portion and the third side surface of the battery row, and the lower part of the battery row is directed toward the fourth side wall portion of the battery row accommodating portion. After flowing, it is configured to flow upward in the space between the fourth side wall portion and the fourth side surface of the battery row.
In the cooling step, with the chamber arranged at the first position, cooling air is generated by the cooling air generator, and the generated cooling air is introduced into the chamber through the cooling air introduction port. A method for manufacturing a battery that sprays the liquid into the inside of the chamber from the liquid spray nozzle while introducing the liquid.

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