JP5948860B2 - Battery pack - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery pack.

  Conventionally, as a battery pack, a plurality of battery modules are arranged side by side, and the cooling air is made to flow in a direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the battery cells accommodated in each battery module (the direction in which the battery modules are arranged), thereby Is known in the art (Patent Document 1).

  However, in the conventional battery pack, when a necessary member such as a bus bar must be disposed between the battery modules, or when a reinforcing member is provided between the modules, the flow of cooling air is hindered, and the battery There is a risk of insufficient cooling of the cell.

JP 2009-252473 A

  In the present invention, when the heat exchange medium flows in the direction in which the battery modules are juxtaposed, the battery cells can be effectively cooled even if a member that prevents the flow of the heat exchange medium is disposed between the battery modules. It is an object to provide a battery pack.

As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides:
Battery pack
A battery pack case,
A first battery module having a plurality of battery cells, housed in a state of being juxtaposed in the first direction with a gap in the battery pack case;
A second battery module having a plurality of battery cells housed in a state of being arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with a gap in the battery pack case;
A first flow path extending between the battery cells of the first battery module extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction in the battery pack case; A second flow path from the first battery module toward the second battery module, and a third flow path extending in the third direction and formed between the battery cells of the second battery module. A heat exchange medium guide structure composed of flow paths;
It is set as the structure provided with.

With this configuration, when the heat exchange medium flows between the adjacent battery modules , the heat exchange medium can be sequentially flowed sequentially from the gap located on the upstream side in the first direction or the second direction. The facing surfaces of the battery cells are surfaces having the largest surface area among the battery cells. Therefore, it becomes possible to cool each battery cell which comprises each battery module effectively.

  The heat exchange medium guide structure may include a partition that partitions the first battery module and the second battery module.

If the partition part is formed integrally with the battery pack case , the first battery module, or the second battery module , the number of parts does not increase and can be manufactured at low cost.

You may make it provide the connection member which connects the terminals of the electronic cell which comprises the said 1st battery module or the said 2nd battery module .

  That is, even in the aspect including the connection member positioned between the battery modules, the heat exchange medium is caused to flow in the third direction without being hindered by the connection member. It is hard to produce and a battery cell can be cooled effectively.

The first battery module or the second battery module has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a long side of one surface extends along the third direction, and terminals are protruded from both end portions of the one surface. Is preferred.

  With this configuration, even when the connection members are provided and the battery modules are electrically connected, the heat exchange medium guide structure can obtain the flow of the heat exchange medium in the third direction. Will not be disturbed.

  The third direction is preferably coincident with the vertical direction in use of the battery pack.

  With this configuration, the space occupied by the battery pack in the horizontal direction can be reduced. In addition, a high strength structure that supports the upper battery module is not required, as in the case where a plurality of battery modules are arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

It is preferable to provide a reinforcing member between the first battery module or the second battery module .

  Even if the reinforcing member is provided and the rigidity of the battery pack is increased by this configuration, the cooling air can be caused to flow in the third direction by the heat exchange medium guide structure, so that the reinforcing member hinders the flow of the cooling air. There is no.

Said second passage, said first direction in which the first battery module are arranged, and, perpendicular to the second direction in which the second battery module is arranged, the first battery Formed on both sides of the module and the second battery module ,
Preferably, the heat exchange medium guide structure is provided in the middle of at least one of the two second flow paths, and the heat exchange medium is configured by a guide portion that can flow in the third direction. .

  With this configuration, the flow direction of the heat exchange medium can be changed to the third direction with a simple configuration in which a guide portion is provided in the middle of the flow path.

  According to the present invention, since the heat exchange medium is caused to flow in the third direction that does not hinder the flow, the heat exchange medium is sufficiently allowed to flow in the gaps between the battery cells while suppressing the pressure loss. be able to. Therefore, the battery cell can be effectively cooled. Moreover, since the partition part is constituted by a part of the battery pack case or the battery module, the number of parts does not increase, and it can be manufactured at low cost.

It is a schematic exploded perspective view which shows the state which deleted some battery packs concerning this embodiment. It is a partial expansion perspective view which shows the heat exchange medium guide structure of FIG. It is a figure which shows the flow of the air by planar view in the battery pack case which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic sectional surface which shows an example of the heat exchange medium guide structure of FIG. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the other example of the heat exchange medium guide structure of FIG. It is a figure which shows the flow of the air by planar view in the battery pack case which concerns on other embodiment.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions and positions (for example, terms including “up”, “down”, “side”, “end”) are used as necessary. Is for facilitating understanding of the invention with reference to the drawings, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the meaning of these terms. Further, the following description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application, or its use.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an outline of the battery pack according to the present embodiment. This battery pack generally has a configuration in which a plurality of battery modules 2 are accommodated in a battery pack case 1 and closed by a battery pack cover 3. Hereinafter, for convenience, the longitudinal direction of the battery pack case 1 in FIG. 1 will be described as the X-axis direction, the short side direction as the Y-axis direction, and the height direction as the Z-axis direction (here, the Z-axis direction is the direction of the battery pack). It matches the vertical direction in use.)

The battery pack case 1 has a rectangular box shape in plan view with an upper surface opened, and a plurality of first partition walls 4 are formed on the bottom surface. Each first partition wall 4 extends in the Y-axis direction from both side surfaces of the battery pack case 1 and terminates at a predetermined position inside. The terminal positions of the first partition walls 4 coincide with each other, and a second partition wall 5 extending in the X-axis direction is formed so as to connect both end faces of the battery pack case 1. Each first partition wall is formed at a position shifted by one pitch in the X-axis direction between both side surfaces.

  The upper part of the second partition wall 5 is provided with a reinforcing wall 6 that is an example of a partition part that partitions between adjacent battery modules 2. The reinforcing wall 6 is formed by connecting a pair of plate members arranged at a predetermined interval by a plurality of auxiliary plates 7. Although not shown, wiring (harness) for electrical connection with each battery module 2 is arranged in the space partitioned by the auxiliary plate 7. The reinforcing wall 6 can be made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin material.

  The battery pack case 1 is divided into a first row portion 8 and a second row portion 9 by a first partition wall 5 and a reinforcing wall 6. In the first row portion 8 and the second row portion 9 that are divided into two, the flow of a heat exchange medium (here, air) that can cool each battery cell 11 that is accommodated by the heat exchange medium guide structure. It can be formed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the heat exchange medium guide structure generates an air flow upward through the gaps between the battery cells 11 of the first battery modules 2 a in the first row portion by the second partition wall 5 and the reinforcing wall 6. A second air flow that is formed by a first air flow path and a third partition wall 15 provided in a recess 14 of the battery pack cover 3 to be described later, and generates a horizontal air flow toward the second battery module 2b. And a third air flow path that generates an air flow downward through the gaps between the battery cells 11 of the second battery module 2b.

  The battery module 2 is a battery module case 10 in which a plurality of battery cells 11 are accommodated in a state of being arranged side by side with a predetermined gap through which air can flow in the width direction. Although not shown, the battery module case 10 has a box shape having a plurality of openings such as a lattice shape and a mesh shape, and allows air to flow between the battery cells 11 accommodated through the openings. ing.

  Each battery cell 11 is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, and although not shown, for example, the power generation element is housed in a battery container and sealed with a lid. Each battery cell 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a pair of electrodes 12 protrude from the surface of the battery cell 11 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. And it accommodates in the battery module case 10 in the state arranged in parallel, and the electrodes 12 of each battery cell 11 are mutually electrically connected by the bus bar 13 (only one is shown in FIG. 1) which is an example of a connection member. It has become.

  In the battery module 2, the surface from which the electrode 12 protrudes sideways in the battery pack case 1, and the juxtaposed direction of the battery cells 11 is perpendicular to the first row portion 8 and the second row portion 9. Be contained. In the battery module 2 accommodated in the first row portion 8, the parallel arrangement direction of the battery cells 11 is the X-axis direction. Moreover, in the battery module 2 accommodated in the 2nd row | line part 9, the parallel arrangement direction of the battery cell 11 is a Y-axis direction. For this reason, in the 1st row | line part 8, air cannot be made to flow by the X-axis direction with the battery cell 11. FIG. In the second row portion 9 as well, since the electrodes 12 are connected by the bus bar 13, it is difficult to flow air in the X-axis direction.

  The battery pack cover 3 is a flat plate having a rectangular shape in plan view, and a recess 14 is formed by extending four sides of the battery pack cover 3 toward the battery pack case 1 side. In the recess 14, a third partition wall 15 extending along the Y-axis direction is provided side by side in the X-axis direction. The third partition wall 15 is provided at a position corresponding to the second partition wall 5. The battery pack cover 3 has an air flow path partitioned by the third partition wall 15 in the upper part of the battery module 2 accommodated in the battery pack case 1 with the upper opening of the battery pack case 1 closed. Form.

  Next, a method for cooling each battery cell in the battery pack having the above-described configuration will be described.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, when a fan (not shown) is driven and air is sucked into the inside through an air inlet (not shown) formed at one end of the battery pack case 1, the sucked air is Then, it collides with the first second partition wall 5 of the first row portion 8 and is changed in the Z-axis direction, and flows upward through the gaps between the battery cells 11 of the first battery module 2a. Thereby, air can be made to flow along each battery cell 11 of the 1st battery module 2a, and each battery cell 11 of the 1st battery module 2a can be cooled effectively.

  The air that has passed through the first battery module 2 a passes through the air flow path 3 a formed by the third partition wall 15 in the recess 14 of the battery pack cover 3 on the upper side of the battery pack case 1. To the second row 9. The first battery module flows downward between the battery cells 11 of the second battery module 2b in which the parallel arrangement directions of the battery cells 11 are orthogonal. Thereby, like the said 1st battery module 2a, air can be made to flow along each battery cell 11 of the 2nd battery module 2b, and each battery cell 11 of the 2nd battery module 2b is cooled effectively. be able to.

  The air that has passed through the second battery module further makes a U-turn in the order of the third battery module, the fourth battery module, etc., and meanders each battery module 2 in plan view as shown in FIG. However, it flows downstream.

  As described above, the battery module 2 is accommodated in the battery pack case 1 in a state where the battery cells 11 to be accommodated are arranged in parallel in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. In addition, since an air flow that makes a U-turn in the vertical direction is formed, air can flow between the battery cells 11. Moreover, the battery module 2 can suppress the occupation area in the battery pack case 1 by arrange | positioning so that the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 11 may go to an up-down direction. Therefore, the area occupied by the battery pack can be reduced.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure described in the said embodiment, A various change is possible.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the air is U-turned through the space above the battery pack case 1 formed on the battery pack cover side (see FIG. 4), but as shown in FIG. By providing the three partition walls 15 on the upper side, the air may be U-turned through the space on the lower side of the battery pack case 1.

  In the above embodiment, a configuration is provided in which each battery cell 11 can be cooled by forming a flow of air that makes a U-turn from the first row portion 8 to the second row portion 9. Even in the case where the number of rows further increases, such as the third row portion, the fourth row portion, etc., it can be easily dealt with by forming a U-turn air flow.

  In the above embodiment, the air is meandered while making a U-turn, and is caused to flow downstream, but by removing or partially removing the second partition wall 5 and the third partition wall 15. As shown in FIG. 6, a flow of air that U-turns simultaneously from each battery module side of the first row portion 8 to each battery module side of the second row portion 9 may be formed. In this case, it is preferable that the first row portion 8 is configured such that the flow resistance received by the air gradually increases from the inlet side toward the downstream side. For example, the remaining area of the second partition wall 5 and the third partition wall 15 may be gradually increased toward the downstream side. According to this, the amount of air flowing from the lower side to the upper side of each battery module 2 in the first row portion 8 can be made substantially uniform, and each battery cell 11 can be cooled without unevenness. Become.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the reinforcement wall 6 as a partition part which concerns on this invention was made to be a different body from the battery pack case 1 and the battery pack cover 3, it was fixed to either member later, Such a member or both members may be formed integrally, or may be formed integrally with the battery module 2. In this case, it is possible to adopt a simple plate-like structure instead of the configuration of the reinforcing wall 6. Further, an integral structure can be easily obtained by molding, and the processing cost can be reduced.

  Moreover, the partition part which concerns on this invention can also be comprised with connection members, such as the bus bar 13 which connects not only the reinforcement wall 6 and plate-shaped structure but between the battery modules 2. FIG. In short, any structure that can form a flow of air in the Z-axis direction is included in the partition portion according to the present invention.

  The battery pack according to the present invention may employ various types of batteries such as lead-acid batteries in addition to lithium ion batteries.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Battery pack case 2 ... Battery module 3 ... Battery pack cover 4 ... 1st partition wall 5 ... 2nd partition wall 6 ... Reinforcement wall (partition part)
7 ... Auxiliary plate 8 ... 1st row part 9 ... 2nd row part 10 ... Battery module case 11 ... Battery cell 12 ... Electrode 13 ... Bus bar 14 ... Recess 15 ... 3rd partition wall

Claims (7)

A battery pack case,
A first battery module having a plurality of battery cells, housed in a state of being juxtaposed in the first direction with a gap in the battery pack case;
A second battery module having a plurality of battery cells housed in a state of being arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with a gap in the battery pack case;
A first flow path extending between the battery cells of the first battery module extending in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction in the battery pack case; A second flow path from the first battery module toward the second battery module, and a third flow path extending in the third direction and formed between the battery cells of the second battery module. A heat exchange medium guide structure composed of flow paths;
A battery pack comprising:   The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange medium guide structure includes a partition portion that partitions the first battery module and the second battery module.   3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the partition portion is formed integrally with the battery pack case, the first battery module, or the second battery module.   The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a connection member that connects terminals of the electronic cells constituting the first battery module or the second battery module.   The first battery module or the second battery module has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a long side of one surface extends along the third direction, and terminals are protruded from both ends of the one surface. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:   The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the third direction matches the vertical direction when the battery pack is in use.   The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a reinforcing member is provided between the first battery module or the second battery module.