JP2022078644A - Battery module and battery unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a battery module and a battery unit that can cool each battery cell evenly.SOLUTION: A battery module 1A includes: a battery cell row 10 having a plurality of battery cells 11 arranged at predetermined spaces 40 in an arrangement direction; and a supply flow passage 22 extending in the arrangement direction by the battery cell row 10, the supply flow passage being supplied with cooling air, each space 40 being communicated with the supply flow passage 22 through a plurality of supply holes 24. The battery module 1A also includes a wall part 23 for dividing the spaces 40 and the supply flow passage 22 from each other, and the supply holes 24 are formed in the wall part 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present disclosure relates to a battery module and a battery unit.

In the field of secondary batteries in recent years, it is indispensable to increase the density of the entire device in order to reduce the installation cost and the occupied area. Therefore, a plurality of modules in which a plurality of battery cells are closely arranged may be connected and used.

Since a secondary battery usually generates heat when discharged, the battery cell may become hot and the battery capacity may be reduced if a suitable cooling means is not provided. Therefore, in order to suppress the decrease in battery capacity, it is necessary to cool the battery cell by some kind of cooling system. In particular, when a large number of battery cells are arranged side by side at high density, the cooling performance is not sufficient by natural cooling, and a forced cooling system may be required (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-130780

According to the configuration of Patent Document 1, air is supplied to the flow path between the battery cells from the air flow path provided at the lower part of the battery cell and extending in the arrangement direction of the battery cells, but air is provided. The communication area between the flow path and the flow path between the battery cells is large, and the flow rate of the cooling air on the downstream side of the air flow path may be small. In such a case, the cooling performance differs for each battery cell, and the temperature may vary for each battery cell. If the temperature varies from battery cell to battery cell, the battery capacity varies from battery cell to battery cell, and there is a concern that the performance of the entire device will deteriorate.

The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module and a battery unit capable of uniformly cooling each battery cell.

In order to solve the above problems, the battery module and the battery unit of the present disclosure adopt the following means.
That is, the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery cell row having a plurality of battery cells arranged with a predetermined gap in the arrangement direction, and extending in the arrangement direction on the side of the battery cell row. It is provided with a supply flow path to which cooling air is supplied, and each of the gaps communicates with the supply flow path through a plurality of supply holes.

Further, the battery unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned battery module and a housing portion on which the battery module is mounted, and the supply flow path is defined by a supply duct, and the supply duct is defined. Also serves as a part of the housing portion.

According to the present disclosure, each battery cell can be cooled uniformly.

It is a perspective view of the battery cell row provided in the battery module which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a side view of the battery module which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a top view of the battery module which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a figure (front view) seen from the direction of the arrow A shown in FIG. It is a partially enlarged view of the Y part shown in FIG. It is a partially enlarged view of the X part shown in FIG. It is a front view of the battery module which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a perspective view of the battery cell row provided in the battery module which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a front view of the battery module which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a front view of the battery unit which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this disclosure. It is a top view of the battery module which concerns on modification 1. FIG. In the second modification, it is a partially enlarged view of the X part shown in FIG.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the battery module according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the battery module 1A has a plurality of battery cells 11. The battery cell 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and two electrodes 12 are provided on the upper surface thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of battery cell rows 10 are arranged in a predetermined direction (hereinafter, referred to as “arrangement direction”) to form the battery cell row 10. At this time, the plurality of battery cells 11 are arranged with a predetermined interval (for example, about 1 mm to 20 mm) in the arrangement direction, and a gap 40 is provided between one battery cell 11 and the battery cell 11 adjacent thereto. Is formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the distance between the battery cells 11 in the arrangement direction (that is, the thickness dimension of the gap 40) is smaller than the thickness dimension of the battery cells 11. The "thickness dimension" referred to here is a dimension along the arrangement direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a supply duct 20 is provided on one side of the battery cell row 10, and a discharge duct 30 is provided on the other side of the battery cell row 10.

The supply duct 20 extends along the arrangement direction so as to be juxtaposed with the battery cell row 10, and the supply flow path 22 is defined inside the supply duct 20. A supply port 21 is provided at one end of the supply duct 20, and cooling air is introduced from the supply port 21 and guided to the supply flow path 22.

The discharge duct 30 extends along the arrangement direction so as to be juxtaposed with the battery cell row 10, and a discharge flow path 32 is defined inside the discharge duct 30. A discharge port 31 is provided at one end of the discharge duct 30, and the air guided to the discharge flow path 32 is exhausted from the discharge port 31.
The discharge port 31 is provided in a direction different from that of the supply port 21 in the arrangement direction. That is, the flow direction of the air flowing through the supply flow path 22 and the flow direction of the air flowing through the discharge flow path 32 are configured to have a parallel flow relationship.

The supply flow path 22 and the discharge flow path 32 configured as described above communicate with each other through the gaps 40.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the supply flow path 22 and the gap 40 communicate with each other through the supply hole 24.
The supply hole 24 is formed in the wall portion 23 of the supply duct 20 that separates the supply flow path 22 from the gap 40. A plurality of supply holes 24 are formed in a straight line along the height direction of the gap 40.
The diameter of the supply hole 24 is smaller than the thickness dimension of the gap 40. Specifically, the diameter of the supply hole 24 is about 1/20 to 1/1 of the thickness dimension of the gap 40.

The opening area of each supply hole 24 is set so that the total opening area of all the supply holes 24 communicating with the supply flow path 22 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the supply flow path 22.

A small-diameter hole such as the supply hole 24 is not provided between the discharge flow path 32 and the gap 40, and the discharge flow path 32 and the gap 40 communicate with each other with a sufficient opening area.

In the battery module 1A of the present embodiment configured as described above, the cooling air flows as follows.
That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the air introduced from the supply port 21 is guided to the supply flow path 22.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the air guided to the supply flow path 22 is ejected into the gap 40 through the supply hole 24.
At this time, since the supply hole 24 is a small-diameter hole, the speed of the air ejected from the supply hole 24 into the gap 40 is higher than the speed of the air flowing through the supply flow path 22. For example, when the speed of the air flowing through the supply flow path 22 is about 1 m / s, the speed of the air ejected from the supply hole 24 is preferably about 10 m / s. As a result, heat can be efficiently removed from the surface of the battery cell 11. Further, by reducing the flow rate of air through the supply hole 24, air can be uniformly ejected to all the gaps 40.
Further, since the opening area of each supply hole 24 is set so that the total of the opening areas of all the supply holes 24 communicating with the supply flow path 22 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the supply flow path 22. , A sufficient amount of air can be ejected to all the gaps 40.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the air guided to the gap 40 flows toward the discharge flow path 32 while cooling the surface of the battery cell 11, and is eventually guided to the discharge flow path 32.

The air guided to the discharge flow path 32 (air heated by heat exchange) is exhausted to the outside of the battery module 1A from the discharge port 31.

According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
A battery cell row 10 having a plurality of battery cells 11 arranged with a predetermined gap 40 in the arrangement direction, and a supply flow path 22 provided on the side of the battery cell row 10 and to which cooling air is supplied are provided. Since each gap 40 communicates with the supply flow path 22 through a plurality of supply holes 24, the flow rate of air supplied from the supply flow path 22 to each gap 40 between the battery cells 11 is supplied to the supply hole 24. Can be squeezed with. As a result, air can be uniformly ejected from all the supply holes 24 to uniformly cool the surface of each battery cell 11. Further, each battery cell 11 can be efficiently cooled by the high-speed air ejected from each supply hole 24.

Further, since the wall portion 23 of the supply duct 20 that separates the gap 40 and the supply flow path 22 is provided and the supply hole 24 is formed in the wall portion 23, the supply hole 24 can be provided with a simple structure.

Further, since the total opening area of the supply holes 24 communicating with the supply flow path 22 is smaller than the flow path cross section of the supply flow path 22, a sufficient amount of air should be supplied to each supply hole 24. Can be done.

Further, since the supply flow path 22 is provided on one side of the battery cell row 10 and the discharge flow path 32 is provided on the other side of the battery cell row 10, the supply hole 24 is provided in the gap 40. The inflowing air goes straight to the discharge flow path 32. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the flow velocity of the air flowing into the gap 40 from the supply hole 24, and the surface of the battery cell 11 can be cooled efficiently.

Further, since the air supply port 21 and the air discharge port 31 are arranged in different directions in the arrangement direction, the directions of the air flow of the supply flow path 22 and the air flow of the discharge flow path 32 are the same. become. Thereby, depending on the ratio between the opening area of the supply hole 24 and the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the supply flow path 22, the flow of air flowing through each gap 40 may be made uniform.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the battery module according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
The battery module 1B according to the present embodiment is different in the arrangement of the supply duct 20 and the discharge duct 30 from the first embodiment, and is the same in other points. Therefore, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the battery module 1B, supply ducts 20 defining the supply flow path 22 are provided on both sides of the battery cell row 10. That is, two supply ducts 20 are provided for one battery cell row 10.

The supply duct 20 is provided on the lower side of the battery cell row 10. The "lower part" here means a lower side than about half in the height direction of the battery cell 11.

On the other hand, the discharge duct 30 is provided above the battery cell row 10. Specifically, the discharge duct 30 is provided so as to include an electrode 12 provided on the upper surface of the battery cell 11.

In the battery module 1A of the present embodiment configured as described above, the cooling air flows as follows.
That is, the air guided to the supply flow path 22 is ejected from both sides of the battery cell row 10 toward the central portion of the gap 40.

The air guided to the gap 40 flows toward the upper discharge flow path 32 while cooling the surface of the battery cell 11, and is eventually guided to the discharge flow path 32.

According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
Since the supply flow path 22 is provided on both sides of the battery cell row 10 and the discharge flow path 32 is provided in the direction orthogonal to both sides of the battery cell row 10, air is symmetrically gapped from both sides. It can flow into 40 to uniformly cool the surface of the battery cell 11.

Further, by providing the discharge flow path 32 above the battery cell row 10, the air can be efficiently discharged to the discharge flow path 32 by utilizing the natural convection of the air warmed by the heat exchange with the battery cell 11. Can be done.

Depending on the arrangement of other parts around the battery module 1B, the discharge duct 30 may be provided below the battery cell row 10.

[Third Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the battery module according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
The battery module 1C according to the present embodiment has a different supply duct 20 from the second embodiment, and is the same in other respects. Therefore, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the battery module 1C has a plurality of battery cell rows 10.
The plurality of battery cell rows 10 are arranged in a parallel direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction and the height direction. That is, another battery cell row 10 is located on the side of one battery cell row 10.

In the plurality of battery cell rows 10 arranged in parallel in this way, as shown in FIG. 9, the supply duct 20 (supply flow path 22) may be shared by the adjacent battery cell rows 10.

According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
Since the supply flow path 22 is shared by the battery cell row 10 and the other battery cell rows 10, the battery module 1C can be miniaturized in the parallel direction of the battery cell rows 10.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the battery unit 100 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 10, in the battery unit 100, any one of the above battery modules 1A, 1B, and 1C (hereinafter, simply referred to as "battery module 1") is mounted on the rack (housing portion) 60. ..

At this time, the supply duct 20 defining the supply flow path 22 constitutes a part of the rack 60. That is, the supply duct 20 also functions as a member (housing) that supports the load of the battery module 1.

According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
Since the supply duct 20 also serves as a part of the rack 60, the battery unit 100 can be miniaturized by sharing the supply duct 20 and a part of the rack 60. Further, the rack 60 can be reinforced by the supply duct 20.

[Modification 1]
In each of the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11, the discharge port 31 may be provided in the same direction as the supply port 21 in the arrangement direction. That is, the flow direction of the air flowing through the supply flow path 22 and the flow direction of the air flowing through the discharge flow path 32 may be configured to have a countercurrent relationship.

According to this configuration, since the supply port 21, the discharge port 31, and the devices associated with them can be provided on the same side in the arrangement direction, the battery module 1 can be miniaturized in the arrangement direction.

[Modification 2]
In each of the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 12, a partition plate 50 extending in the height direction of the gap 40 may be provided to divide the gap 40 in the arrangement direction. That is, one gap 40 may be divided into a first gap 40A and a second gap 40B.

In this case, a plurality of supply holes 24 are provided in a straight line with respect to the first gap 40A, and a plurality of supply holes 24 are provided in a straight line with respect to the second gap 40B.

According to this configuration, by narrowing the distance between the first gap 40A and the second gap 40B with respect to the gap 40, the air flowing through the first gap 40A and the second gap 40B can be further speeded up, and the battery cell 11 can be used. The surface can be cooled more efficiently.

In each of the above embodiments, the aperture ratio of the supply hole 24 with respect to each gap 40 may be increased as the distance from the supply port 21 is increased along the arrangement direction. As a method of increasing the aperture ratio, for example, there are a method of increasing the opening area of each supply hole 24 and a method of increasing the number of supply holes 24.

According to this configuration, a sufficient amount of air can be supplied to the gap 40 corresponding to the position away from the supply port 21 where the pressure tends to decrease due to the pressure loss.

Each embodiment described as described above is grasped as follows, for example.
That is, the battery module (1) according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery cell row (10) having a plurality of battery cells (11) arranged with a predetermined gap (40) in the arrangement direction, and the battery cell row. It is provided with a supply flow path (22) extending in the arrangement direction on the side of the above and to which cooling air is supplied, and each of the gaps is provided through a plurality of supply holes (24). It communicates with the supply flow path.

The battery module according to this embodiment has a battery cell row having a plurality of battery cells arranged with a predetermined gap in the arrangement direction, and a supply flow path provided on the side of the battery cell row to supply cooling air. Since each gap communicates with the supply flow path through a plurality of supply holes, the flow rate of air supplied from the supply flow path to each gap between the battery cells can be throttled by the supply hole. can. As a result, air can be uniformly ejected from all the supply holes to uniformly cool the surface of each battery cell. In addition, each battery cell can be efficiently cooled by the high-speed air ejected from each supply hole.

Further, the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a wall portion (23) that separates the gap from the supply flow path, and the supply hole is formed in the wall portion.

Since the battery module according to this embodiment is provided with a wall portion that separates the gap from the supply flow path and the supply hole is formed in the wall portion, the supply hole can be provided with a simple structure.

Further, in the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the total opening area of the supply holes communicating with the supply flow path is made smaller than the flow path cross-sectional area of the supply flow path.

In the battery module according to this embodiment, the total opening area of the supply holes communicating with the supply flow path is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the supply flow path, so that a sufficient amount of air is supplied to each supply flow path. can do.

Further, the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided extending in the arrangement direction and includes a discharge flow path (32) communicating with the gap, and the supply flow path is provided on both sides of the battery cell row. The discharge flow path is provided in a direction orthogonal to both sides of the battery cell row.

The battery module according to this embodiment includes a discharge flow path communicating with a gap, supply flow paths are provided on both sides of the battery cell row, and discharge flow paths are provided in directions orthogonal to both sides of the battery cell row. Therefore, air can flow into the gap symmetrically from both sides to uniformly cool the surface of the battery cell.

Further, in the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the discharge flow path is provided above the battery cell row.

In the battery module according to this embodiment, since the discharge flow path is provided above the battery cell row, the air is efficiently discharged by utilizing the natural convection of the air warmed by the heat exchange with the battery cell. Can be discharged to the road.

Further, the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes another battery cell row (10) arranged side by side of the battery cell row, and the supply flow path is the battery cell row and the other battery. It is shared with the cell column.

The battery module according to this embodiment includes another battery cell row arranged side by side of the battery cell row, and the supply flow path is shared by the battery cell row and the other battery cell row. The battery module can be miniaturized in the parallel direction of the row.

Further, the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided so as to extend in the arrangement direction, includes a discharge flow path communicating with the gap, and the supply flow path is lateral to one side of the battery cell row. The discharge flow path is provided on the other side of the battery cell row.

The battery module according to this embodiment includes a discharge flow path communicating with a gap, a supply flow path is provided on one side of the battery cell row, and a discharge flow path is provided on the other side of the battery cell row. Therefore, the air flowing into the gap from the supply hole goes straight to the discharge flow path. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the flow velocity of the air flowing into the gap from the supply hole, and the surface of the battery cell can be cooled efficiently.

Further, in the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the air supply port (21) to the supply flow path and the air discharge port (31) from the discharge flow path are oriented in different directions in the arrangement direction. Be placed.

In the battery module according to this embodiment, the air supply port to the supply flow path and the air discharge port from the discharge flow path are arranged in different directions in the arrangement direction, so that the air flow and discharge of the supply flow path are different. The direction of the air flow in the flow path is the same. As a result, the flow of air flowing through each gap formed between the battery cells can be made uniform.

Further, in the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the air supply port to the supply flow path and the air discharge port from the discharge flow path are arranged in the same direction in the arrangement direction.

In the battery module according to this embodiment, since the air supply port to the supply flow path is arranged in the same direction as the air discharge port from the discharge flow path, the supply port, the discharge port, and the device associated therewith are arranged. Can be provided on the same side in the arrangement direction. As a result, the battery module can be miniaturized in the arrangement direction.

Further, in the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the aperture ratio of the supply holes increases as the distance from the supply port along the arrangement direction increases.

In the battery module according to this embodiment, the aperture ratio for each gap increases as the distance from the supply port increases along the arrangement direction. Can supply air.

Further, the battery unit (100) according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned battery module and a housing portion (60) on which the battery module is mounted, and the supply flow path is a supply duct ( 20), the supply duct also serves as a part of the housing portion.

The battery unit according to this embodiment includes the above-mentioned battery module and a housing portion on which the battery module is mounted, the supply flow path is defined by a supply duct, and the supply duct is a part of the housing portion. Since it also serves as a battery unit, the battery unit can be miniaturized by sharing the supply duct and a part of the housing. Further, the housing portion can be reinforced by the supply duct.
The housing portion is, for example, a rack on which the battery module 1 can be mounted.

1 (1A, 1B, 1C) Battery module 10 Battery cell row 11 Battery cell 12 Electrode 20 Supply duct 21 Supply port 22 Supply flow path 23 Wall 24 Supply hole 30 Discharge duct 31 Discharge port 32 Discharge flow path 40 Gap 40A 1st Gap 40B Second gap 50 Partition plate 60 Rack (housing part)
100 battery unit

Claims (11)

A battery cell array having a plurality of battery cells arranged with a predetermined gap in the arrangement direction, and a battery cell row.
A supply flow path extending in the arrangement direction on the side of the battery cell row and to which cooling air is supplied, and
Equipped with
Each of the gaps is a battery module that communicates with the supply flow path through a plurality of supply holes. A wall portion that separates the gap from the supply flow path is provided.
The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the supply hole is formed in the wall portion. The battery module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total opening area of the supply holes communicating with the supply flow path is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the supply flow path. It is provided so as to extend in the arrangement direction and has a discharge flow path that communicates with the gap.
The supply channels are provided on both sides of the battery cell row.
The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the discharge flow path is provided in a direction orthogonal to both sides of the battery cell row. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein the discharge flow path is provided above the battery cell row. It is provided with another battery cell row arranged side by side of the battery cell row.
The battery module according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the supply flow path is shared by the battery cell row and the other battery cell row. It is provided so as to extend in the arrangement direction and has a discharge flow path that communicates with the gap.
The supply flow path is provided on one side of the battery cell row.
The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the discharge flow path is provided on the other side of the battery cell row. The battery module according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the air supply port to the supply flow path and the air discharge port from the discharge flow path are arranged in different directions in the arrangement direction. The battery module according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the air supply port to the supply flow path and the air discharge port from the discharge flow path are arranged in the same direction in the arrangement direction. The battery module according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the supply hole has an aperture ratio for each gap as the distance from the supply port increases along the arrangement direction. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
The housing on which the battery module is mounted and
Equipped with
The supply flow path is defined by a supply duct and is defined by a supply duct.
The supply duct is a battery unit that also serves as a part of the housing portion.

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