KR20060060810A - Secondary battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention can maximize the cooling efficiency in the battery module consisting of a plurality of unit cells, and to ensure that each unit cell constituting the battery module evenly cooled to minimize the temperature variation between the unit cells, a plurality of units A cooling tube having a battery, a cooling medium circulated therein, and a groove in which the unit cell is seated on an outer surface thereof, arranged along an outer circumferential surface, and surrounding the unit cell arranged on the outer surface of the cooling tube, It provides a secondary battery module comprising an appearance that is distributed.

Cooling tube, groove, unit cell, appearance

Description

Secondary Battery Module {SECONDARY BATTERY MODULE}

1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a configuration of a secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a plan sectional view of a rechargeable battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a side cross-sectional view of a rechargeable battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a rechargeable battery module according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a plan sectional view of a rechargeable battery module according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a secondary battery module that improves the cooling efficiency of a unit battery when the unit battery is connected to form a battery module.

A secondary battery is a battery that can be charged and discharged unlike a primary battery that cannot be charged. A secondary battery is a low-capacity battery that is used in portable electronic devices such as phones, notebook computers, and camcorders. It is widely used as a power source for driving a motor.

The secondary battery may be manufactured in various shapes, and typical shapes include cylindrical and rectangular shapes. The secondary battery may include the high output secondary battery so that the secondary battery may be used for driving a motor such as an electric vehicle. A plurality of secondary batteries are connected in series to form a large capacity secondary battery.

As described above, one large capacity secondary battery (hereinafter, referred to as a battery module for convenience of description throughout) is made of a plurality of secondary batteries (hereinafter, referred to as unit cells for convenience of explanation throughout the specification), which are each connected in series. The unit cell of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate with a separator interposed therebetween, a case having a space portion in which the electrode assembly is built, a cap assembly coupled to the case to seal it, protrudes into the cap assembly and the And a positive and negative electrode terminal electrically connected to the current collector of the positive and negative electrode plates provided in the electrode assembly.

In addition, each unit cell is usually arranged at a plurality of intervals are connected in series or parallel between each terminal to form a battery module.

Here, the battery module must be able to easily dissipate heat generated in each unit battery by forming one battery module by connecting several to many dozen unit cells. The heat dissipation characteristics of the secondary battery module are very important to influence the performance of the battery.

If heat is not released properly, temperature deviation occurs between each unit cell, which decreases charging / discharging efficiency. As the temperature inside the cell increases due to heat generated from the unit cell, the performance of the battery is deteriorated. It creates the risk of explosion.

In particular, when the battery module is applied as a large-capacity secondary battery for driving an electric vacuum cleaner, an electric scooter, or a motor vehicle (electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle), the battery module is charged and discharged with a large current. Heat is generated and rises to a significant temperature, which affects battery characteristics and degrades the inherent performance of the battery. Therefore, heat dissipation is most important.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery module capable of maximizing cooling efficiency in a battery module composed of a plurality of unit cells.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery module capable of minimizing temperature variation between unit cells by allowing each unit battery constituting the battery module to be evenly cooled.

In order to achieve the above object, the battery module of the present invention is a battery module having a plurality of unit cells arranged at intervals and a cooling medium flow path for dissipating the unit battery, wherein the unit battery is a cooling medium flow path It has a structure arranged outside on the center.

To this end, the secondary battery module of the present invention has a cooling tube in which a cooling medium is distributed inside and a groove is formed along an outer circumferential surface so that the unit battery is seated on the outer surface, and an appearance in which the cooling medium is distributed inside the cooling tube. Include.

In this case, the groove is preferably made of a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the unit battery.

The unit battery is preferably installed at a predetermined interval.

In addition, the cooling tube may be formed of a cylindrical cross-sectional structure.

In addition, the cooling tube may be formed of a rectangular or polygonal cross-sectional structure.

On the other hand, the unit cell may be made of a cylindrical or square.

In addition, the groove formed in the cooling tube may be made of a semi-circular cross-sectional structure so that the cylindrical unit cell can be fitted, or may have a rectangular cross-sectional structure so that the rectangular unit cell can be fitted.

The groove may have a size corresponding to that of the unit battery so as to be in close contact with the unit battery.

On the other hand, the appearance is preferably made of a form corresponding to the cooling tube.

In addition, the appearance is preferably made of a size that the inner peripheral surface is in contact with the outer surface of the unit battery.

In addition, the cooling tube and the appearance is preferably made of a material having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum or copper.

In addition, the cooling tube or / and the cooling medium circulated between the cooling tube and the appearance may be any gas or fluid, such as cooling air or cooling water is not particularly limited.

The battery module may be used as an energy source for driving a motor of the device in a device operated using a motor such as a HEV (hybrid electric vehicle), an electric vehicle (EV), a wireless cleaner, an electric bicycle, an electric scooter, and the like. Can be.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following description, a case of using air as a cooling method of the battery module will be described as an example. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the cooling method by air, and cooling water or other fluid may be used as the cooling medium.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a rechargeable battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the battery module 10 with reference to the drawings, the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate having an electrode assembly positioned between the separator between the power generating unit cell 11 and the unit cell 11 to cool Cooling tube 12 of the cylindrical cross-sectional shape through which the air for cooling for circulation, the groove 15 is formed in the longitudinal direction on the outer peripheral surface of the cooling tube 12 and arranged at regular intervals along the outer peripheral surface to place the unit cell And an outer surface 14 which surrounds the outside of the cooling tube 12 and distributes the cooling medium between the cooling tube 12 and the cooling tube 12.

Here, the unit cell 11 has a cylindrical structure and has a predetermined interval along the outer circumferential surface to form a cross-sectional structure such as a sprocket wheel when the groove is recessed in a semicircular shape as a whole, and the groove 15 is the cylindrical unit cell ( It has a cross-sectional structure having an inner diameter corresponding to 11).

Accordingly, when the unit battery 11 is seated in the groove 15, half of the unit battery 11 is fitted into the groove, and the outer circumferential surface of the unit battery 11 is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the groove 15.

Here, the depth of the groove 15 is not limited to the semicircle shape and may be made of a size of 2/3 circle, for example, smaller than the semicircle or larger than the semicircle, and is not particularly limited.

In addition, the size of the cooling tube 12 is not particularly limited, and the number of unit cells 11 arranged on the outer circumferential surface thereof may be increased or decreased according to the size of the cooling tube 12.

On the other hand, the exterior 14 is made of the same cylindrical shape as the cooling tube 12 and the size is larger than the cooling tube 12, the unit seated on the outer peripheral surface of the cooling tube 12 and the cooling tube into the exterior 14 The battery 11 has a structure in which the battery 11 can be inserted.

Here, the size of the external appearance 14 is preferably such that the outer surface of the unit cell 11 can contact the inner circumferential surface of the external appearance 14.

Accordingly, both sides of the unit cell 11 are in contact with the groove 15 and the exterior 14 of the cooling tube 12.

In addition, the appearance 14 serves to fix the unit cell 11 in the groove of the cooling tube 12, while the cooling medium 12 to create a gap for distribution between the cooling tube 12 and. Done.

This is a structure in which the unit cell 11 is simply placed in the groove 15 of the semi-circular cross-sectional structure formed in the cooling tube 12, and there is a fear that the unit cell 11 may be separated from the groove 15 when there is no separate fixing means. Because there is.

Therefore, the outer surface 14 supports the outer surface of the unit cell 11 so that the unit cell 11 can be kept in a seated state without being separated from the groove 15.

Here, the cooling tube 12 and the exterior 14 are made of aluminum or copper having high thermal conductivity, between the cooling tube 12 and the unit cell 11, and between the unit cell 11 and the exterior 14. ) Is interposed between an insulating member (not shown) for interrupting current.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the groove 15 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 12, so that the unit cell 11 placed in the groove 15 may expose both the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal. do.

Therefore, the plurality of unit cells 11 stacked along the cooling tube 12 may be easily connected in series or in parallel via each exposed terminal.

On the other hand, Figure 4 illustrates a case in which the cooling tube 12 and the appearance 14 has a rectangular cross-sectional structure as another embodiment of the present invention.

According to the above drawings, the battery module includes a plurality of unit cells 11 connected in series or in parallel, a cooling tube 12 having a rectangular cross-sectional structure and having air for cooling therein, and the cooling tube ( 12) the groove 15 having a semi-circular cross-sectional structure arranged at regular intervals on the outer circumferential surface and seated on the unit cell 11, the outer surface of the unit cell 11 placed on the groove 15, and the cooling tube ( 12) an exterior 14 having a rectangular cross-sectional structure for distributing a cooling medium therebetween.

Here, the unit cell 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the groove 15 is also formed in a semicircular shape having a size corresponding to that of the cylindrical unit cell 11.

In addition, the grooves 15 are arranged at intervals on the front surface except for the edge of the cooling tube 12.

Of course, the shape of the cooling tube 12 may be a polygonal cross-sectional structure having a pentagonal shape or a hexagonal shape or more in addition to the rectangular cross-sectional structure, in which case the grooves 15 are spaced on each side of the multi-level cooling tube 12. Placement is formed.

The exterior 14 is also placed outside the unit cell 11 in the same form as the cooling tube 12 so that the unit cell 11 is positioned between the exterior 14 and the cooling tube 12 to be in contact with both members.

On the other hand, Figure 5 shows a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

According to the above drawings, the battery module according to the present embodiment has a rectangular cross-sectional structure in which a plurality of unit cells 11 connected in series or in parallel and forming each shape, and cooling air for cooling the unit cells 11 are distributed. The cooling tube 12 of the cooling tube 12, the outer peripheral surface of the cooling tube 12 is formed in the groove 15, on which the rectangular unit cell 11 is seated, and is surrounded by the outer side of the unit cell 11 and the cooling tube 12 ) And an exterior 14 having a rectangular cross-sectional structure for distributing the cooling medium therebetween.

The unit cell 11 has a rectangular shape and has a relatively narrow width compared to the length, and the groove 15 also has a size corresponding to the size of the unit cell 11.

The depth of formation of the groove 15 is not particularly limited, and as the groove is deeper, the rectangular unit cell 11 may be deeply seated to increase the area in contact with the cooling air circulated through the cooling tube 12.

In addition, the groove 15 is formed so that the wide surface of the unit cell 11 can face the bottom of the groove 15, when the unit battery 11 is fitted in the groove 15 unit cell ( 11) face the front side of the cooling tube (12).

Accordingly, the area where the unit cell 11 and the cooling tube 12 are in contact with each other can be secured to maximize the cooling efficiency.

In addition, the outer surface 14 has the same shape as the cooling tube 12, the outer surface of the unit cell 11 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer surface (14).

Accordingly, the battery module has a structure in which the unit cells 11 are arranged between the cooling tube 12 and the exterior 14 so that both sides of the unit cell 11 are in contact with the respective tubes 12 and 13.

Hereinafter, referring to the operation of the present invention, the battery module has a cooling tube 12 and the exterior 14 serve as a housing so that the plurality of unit cells 11 are arranged in an arrangement and circulation of cooling air. The heat of the unit cell 11 is released.

As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the unit cell 11 is disposed along the outer circumferential surface of the cooling tube 12 around the central cooling tube 12.

The unit cells 11 may be seated in the grooves 15 formed in the cooling tube 12 so that the unit cells 11 may be positioned at intervals between the unit cells 11. The exterior 14 is installed outside the unit cell 11 to fix the unit cell 11.

In this state, when the cooling air is circulated through the cooling tube 12 and the exterior 14, the cooling air passes through the interior of the cooling tube 12 and between the cooling tube 12 and the exterior 14. While being distributed through, it is possible to evenly dissipate heat generated in the unit cell 11.

This is because the unit cells 11 are in contact with the cooling tube 12 evenly, and are arranged at uniform intervals between the cooling tube 12 and the appearance 14, the cooling tube 12 and the appearance 14. Heat exchange can be achieved under the same conditions from the cooling air passing through.

That is, each unit cell 11 has the same area in contact with the cooling tube 12. In addition, the cooling tube 12 is located in the center of the unit cells 11, so that the cooling air passing through the cooling tube 12 does not bias either side of the entire unit cell 11 installed in the cooling tube 12 It is possible to apply cold air evenly.

In addition, the cooling air introduced between the cooling tube 12 and the exterior 14 is uniformly passed through the gap between the unit cells 11 so that the cold air can be evenly applied to the entire unit cells 11. Will be.

Therefore, the heat dissipation conditions of the unit cells 11 are the same, so that uniform cooling can be achieved.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims and the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. Naturally, it belongs to

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, an arrangement structure of the cooling medium flow path and the unit cells of the battery module may be improved to obtain a more efficient unit cell cooling effect.

In addition, since the cooling medium is evenly distributed between the unit cells, it is possible to eliminate local thermal imbalance in the entire battery module.

Claims (13)

With a plurality of unit cells, A cooling tube in which a cooling medium is distributed and a groove in which the unit cell is seated on an outer surface thereof is arranged along an outer peripheral surface thereof, Appearance surrounding the unit cell arranged on the outer surface of the cooling tube and the cooling medium is distributed between the cooling tube Secondary battery module comprising a. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the cooling tube has a cylindrical cross-sectional structure. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the cooling tube has a polygonal cross-sectional structure. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the unit cell has a cylindrical shape. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the unit battery has a rectangular shape. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the groove is in close contact with the unit battery in correspondence with the size of the unit battery. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the groove has a semicircular cross-sectional structure. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the exterior has a cross-sectional structure having the same shape as that of the cooling tube. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the unit battery contacts a groove of the cooling tube and the external appearance. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the cooling tube or the exterior is made of a material having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum or copper. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein an insulating member is interposed between the cooling tube and the unit battery. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein an insulating member is interposed between the unit battery and the external appearance. The secondary battery module of claim 1, wherein the battery module is for driving a motor.

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