KR20220119988A - Battery module with improved fire protection performance - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, disclosed is a battery module capable of effectively preventing the occurrence or spread of a fire. The battery module according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries stacked on each other; a module case that accommodates the cell assembly in an inner space and has a venting path and a discharge unit therein so that venting gas generated from the cell assembly can be discharged; and a blocking member provided in the venting path of the module case and having a plurality of holes therein to filter a material flowing through the venting path.

Description

Battery module with improved fire protection performance

The present invention relates to a battery, and more particularly, to a battery module capable of effectively preventing the occurrence or spread of fire, and a battery pack and an energy storage system including the same.

In recent years, as the demand for portable electronic products such as notebook computers, video cameras, and portable telephones has rapidly increased, and commercialization of robots and electric vehicles has been in full swing, research on high-performance secondary batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging has been actively conducted. is in progress

Currently commercialized secondary batteries include a nickel cadmium battery, a nickel hydrogen battery, a nickel zinc battery, and a lithium secondary battery. In particular, the lithium secondary battery is attracting attention because of the advantages of free charge/discharge, a very low self-discharge rate, and a high energy density because the memory effect hardly occurs compared to a nickel-based secondary battery.

The secondary battery may be used alone, but in general, a plurality of secondary batteries are electrically connected to each other in series and/or in parallel in many cases. In particular, a plurality of secondary batteries may be accommodated in one module case while being electrically connected to each other to constitute one battery module. In addition, the battery module may be used alone or two or more may be electrically connected to each other in series and/or parallel to constitute a higher level device such as a battery pack.

Recently, as issues such as power shortage or eco-friendly energy have been highlighted, an energy storage system (ESS) for storing the generated power is receiving more attention. Representatively, if such an energy storage system is used, it is easy to construct a system such as a smart grid system, so that power supply and demand can be easily controlled in a specific region or city.

For battery packs used in energy storage systems, a very large capacity may be required compared to small and medium-sized battery packs. Accordingly, a battery pack may typically include a large number of battery modules. And, in order to increase the energy density, a plurality of battery modules are often configured in a dense form in a very narrow space.

However, when a plurality of battery modules are concentrated in a narrow space as described above, they may be vulnerable to fire. For example, a thermal propagation situation may occur in one battery module, and a situation in which a high-temperature gas is discharged from at least one battery cell (secondary battery) may occur. Moreover, high-temperature sparks may be ejected when the gas is discharged, and the sparks may include active materials or molten aluminum particles that are desorbed from electrodes inside the battery cell. In addition, in some cases, a flare or the like may occur in some battery cells. If such sparks or flares leak to the outside of the battery module, a fire may occur in the battery pack.

In particular, since a large amount of oxygen may exist outside the battery module, when sparks or the like are discharged to the outside of the battery module, it is highly likely to come into contact with oxygen and cause a fire. If a fire occurs in a specific battery module, etc., it may spread to other nearby battery modules or other battery packs. In particular, in the case of a fire, it is not easy to extinguish a fire in the energy storage system because many batteries are concentrated in a narrow space. Moreover, considering the size and role of the energy storage system, there is a risk that a fire inside the battery pack may cause very serious damage to property and human life. Therefore, even if a spark or flare is generated due to a thermal runaway situation in a specific battery cell or module, it is important to suppress it early and prevent the battery module or battery pack from leading to a fire.

Accordingly, the present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and a battery module configured to effectively suppress fire even if sparks or flares are generated inside due to thermal runaway, etc., a battery pack including the same, and energy storage The purpose is to provide a system, etc.

However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-described problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery module comprising: a cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries stacked on each other; a module case accommodating the cell assembly in an internal space, and having a venting path and a discharge part formed therein so that the venting gas generated from the cell assembly is discharged; and a blocking member provided in the venting path of the module case and having a plurality of holes to filter materials flowing through the venting path.

Here, the blocking member may be configured to filter at least one of sparks and flames ejected from the cell assembly.

In addition, the blocking member may be configured in a mesh shape.

In addition, the cell assembly is stacked in a vertical direction in a state in which a plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries are laid down, electrode leads of the pouch-type secondary batteries are located in the front and rear directions of the module case, and the module case is front and rear At least one side may be configured to be open.

In addition, the module case may further include a bus bar assembly disposed in an open portion of the module case and configured to be coupled to the electrode lead, and a slot is formed in the bus bar assembly so that the gas inside the module case is discharged to the outside. have.

In addition, the module case may be positioned on the venting path and include a switching part configured to change the flow direction of the venting gas to the opposite direction, and the blocking member may be configured to be inserted at least partially into the switching part. .

In addition, the blocking member may include a first blocking unit inserted into the switching unit, and a second blocking unit located at the rear end of the venting path than the first blocking unit and configured to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the first blocking unit. .

In addition, the blocking member may be configured such that holes of different sizes are arranged in a horizontal direction.

In addition, the blocking member may include a protrusion.

In addition, a battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes the battery module according to the present invention.

In addition, an energy storage system according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a battery module according to the present invention.

According to the present invention, the occurrence of fire in the battery module can be effectively suppressed.

In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, even if sparks or flares occur due to thermal runaway, etc. in a specific battery cell included in the battery module, discharge of sparks to the outside of the module can be effectively blocked.

Therefore, according to this aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of fire due to external discharge of sparks or the like.

Moreover, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the spark, etc. from flowing out while easily discharging the gas to the outside of the battery module. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent explosion of the battery module and fundamentally prevent a fire from occurring outside the battery module.

In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, even if a fire occurs inside the battery module, it is possible to quickly suppress the fire without spreading by blocking the flame emission.

In addition, the present invention may have various other effects, which will be described in each embodiment, or the corresponding description will be omitted for effects that can be easily inferred by those skilled in the art.

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical spirit of the present invention together with the detailed description of the present invention to be described later, so the present invention is described in such drawings should not be construed as being limited only to
1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a partial configuration of FIG. 1 .
3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a venting path and a discharge unit in the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a blocking member according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion A1 of FIG. 3 .
6 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a blocking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a blocking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a blocking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a blocking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion A5 of FIG. 9 .
11 is an enlarged view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a blocking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
12 is an enlarged view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a blocking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms or words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and the inventor should properly understand the concept of the term in order to best describe his invention. Based on the principle that it can be defined, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention.

Accordingly, the configuration shown in the embodiments and drawings described in the present specification is merely the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not represent all of the technical spirit of the present invention, so at the time of the present application, various It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the configuration of FIG. 1 .

1 and 2 , the battery module according to the present invention includes a cell assembly 100 , a module case 200 , and a blocking member 300 .

The cell assembly 100 may include a plurality of secondary batteries 110 (battery cells). The secondary battery 110 may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the secondary battery 110 provided in the cell assembly 100 may be a pouch-type secondary battery 110 . However, other types of the secondary battery 110 , such as a cylindrical battery or a prismatic battery, may also be employed in the cell assembly 100 of the present invention.

The plurality of secondary batteries 110 may form the cell assembly 100 in a stacked form. For example, as shown in the drawing, the plurality of secondary batteries 110 may be stacked in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction of the drawing). Each pouch-type secondary battery 110 may include an electrode lead 111 , and the electrode lead 111 may be located at both ends or at one end of each secondary battery 110 . The secondary battery 110 in which the electrode lead 111 protrudes in both directions may be referred to as a bidirectional cell, and the secondary battery in which the electrode lead 111 protrudes in one direction may be referred to as a unidirectional cell. For example, the secondary battery 110 illustrated in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 is a bidirectional cell, and the electrode leads 111 may be positioned at both ends in the Y-axis direction. The present invention is not limited by the specific type or shape of the secondary battery 110 , and various secondary batteries 110 known at the time of filing of the present invention may be employed in the cell assembly 100 of the present invention.

The module case 200 may have an empty space formed therein to accommodate the cell assembly 100 . Furthermore, the module case 200 may include a lower plate 210 , a side plate 220 , and an upper plate 230 as shown in the drawings. The module case 200 may be manufactured in a form in which at least some plates are integrated, or may be configured in a form coupled to each other by a fastening method such as bolts or welding. For example, the lower plate 210 and the side plate 220 may be manufactured integrally with each other to form a lower case.

The lower plate 210 , the side plate 220 , and the upper plate 230 may define an inner space, and the cell assembly 100 may be accommodated in the inner space. For example, the lower plate 210 and the side plate 220 may be formed in a U-shape or a box shape to constitute a lower case. In addition, the upper plate 230 may be coupled to the upper open end of the lower case to cover the upper end of the cell assembly 100 . The upper plate 230 may be configured in a shape in which both ends are bent, but may be formed in various other shapes and configured to be coupled to the side plate 220 . Alternatively, the module case 200 may be formed in the form of a mono frame in which the lower plate 210 , the side plate 220 , and the upper plate 230 are integrated.

The module case 200 may have a venting path formed therein. And, when the venting gas is generated from the cell assembly 100, the generated venting gas may be configured to move through the venting path. And, the module case 200 may be formed with a discharge part. In this case, the discharge unit may be formed on at least one side of the module case and communicate with the venting path. And, the discharge unit may be configured such that the venting gas flowing through the venting path flows out of the module case 200 . This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3 .

3 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a venting path and a discharge unit in the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 3 can be said to be a view showing the internal configuration of the battery module of FIG. 2 centered on the shape viewed from the top.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the cell assembly 100, which is a secondary battery stack, is accommodated in the inner space of the module case 200, and in the space between the cell assembly 100 and the side plate 220, as indicated by V1, A venting path may be formed. And, the venting path V1 may be connected to the openings as indicated by O1 and O2 formed on the front side and the rear side of the module case 200 . Accordingly, when the venting gas is discharged from the one or more secondary batteries 110 included in the cell assembly 100 as indicated by K, the venting gas passes through the venting path V1 as indicated by an arrow in the drawing. It may flow in the horizontal direction along the flow, and may be discharged through the openings O1 and O2. Here, the discharge part of the module case 200 may be the openings O1 and O2.

Meanwhile, in the present specification, unless otherwise specified, with respect to the cell assembly 100 , the +Y-axis direction is forward and the +X-axis direction is shown to the left.

The blocking member 300 may be provided in the venting path V1 of the module case 200 . That is, when the venting gas is generated and ejected from the cell assembly 100 in the inner space of the module case 200 in the blocking member 300 , the ejected gas is discharged to the discharge units O1 and O2 . may be located on the In addition, the blocking member 300 may be configured to filter the material flowing through the venting path V1. Here, the blocking member 300 may be configured such that a plurality of holes are formed for a filtering effect.

According to this configuration of the present invention, when a thermal runaway situation occurs in a specific secondary battery 110 and the internal pressure increases and the venting gas is ejected, the venting gas is easily discharged to the outside so that the internal pressure of the battery module is at a certain level. can be prevented from increasing. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an explosion due to an increase in the internal pressure of the battery module. In addition, according to the above configuration of the present invention, the venting gas is not discharged to the outside of the battery module as it is, but a predetermined substance can be discharged to the outside in a filtered state. Therefore, in this case, it is possible to prevent a fire from occurring outside the battery module. Furthermore, since oxygen may exist outside the module case, when the heat source is discharged from the battery module together with the combustible gas, the three elements of combustion may combine with each other to cause a fire. However, according to the embodiment, it is possible to prevent the external discharge of the heat source, so that the fire does not actually occur or the fire does not spread.

In particular, the blocking member 300 may be configured to filter at least one of sparks and flames ejected from the cell assembly 100 . Furthermore, the blocking member 300 is located in the path where sparks and/or flames are ejected and ejected from the inner space of the module case 200, and may be configured to suppress movement of the sparks and/or flames.

When gas is discharged from the secondary battery, sparks or flares may be ejected together with the gas. Such sparks or flares may include active material particles or aluminum particles, and the active material particles may be heated and formed at a very high temperature. If these active material particles, flames, flames, etc. are discharged to the outside of the module case 200, a fire may occur and proceed by acting as a heat source and combining with inflammables such as venting gas and oxygen. However, according to the embodiment, by preventing the heat source such as active material particles from being discharged into the outer space of the module case 200, it is possible to fundamentally prevent the formation of a fire in the space outside the module case 200.

The blocking member 300 may be configured in various forms in order to filter sparks or flames. A more specific form of the blocking member 300 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4 .

4 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the blocking member 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the blocking member 300 may be configured in a mesh shape. Here, the mesh form may be configured in a form in which a plurality of holes are formed in the plate-shaped member. In particular, the blocking member 300 may include an edge portion 301 and a filter portion 302 . Here, the edge portion 301 may be configured in a shape corresponding to the shape of the portion where the blocking member 300 is installed. In particular, since the blocking member 300 is disposed on the venting path V1, the edge portion 301 may be configured to cover the entire cross-sectional area through which the gas passes in the venting path V1. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the blocking member 300 may be formed in an approximately square ring shape to conform to the shape of a portion installed in the inner space of the module case 200 . The filter unit 302 is positioned in a space defined by the edge portion 301 and may be configured to form a plurality of holes. For example, the filter unit 302 may have a substantially rectangular plate shape in the inner space of the edge part 301 having a rectangular ring shape. However, in the filter unit 302, a hole may be formed to filter particles in a state such as a solid or liquid, a gel, or a sol such as an active material, but a venting gas in a gaseous state may pass therethrough. Here, the hole of the filter unit 302 may be formed in various shapes. For example, the filter unit 302 may be configured in a form in which different wires are woven like a mesh.

According to this configuration of the present invention, the blocking member 300 can be easily manufactured, and a large number of holes can be formed while reducing the size of the holes. Accordingly, a more efficient blocking configuration such as an active material by the blocking member 300 may be implemented.

The cell assembly 100 may be configured in a form in which a plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries 110 are stacked in a vertical direction in a lying state.

For example, referring to FIG. 2 , in the battery module according to the present invention, the secondary battery 110 included in the cell assembly 100 is a pouch-type secondary battery 110 and may be disposed in a lying state. . In particular, the pouch-type secondary battery 110 may be formed to have approximately two wide surfaces, and may be disposed in a laid-down form such that the two wide surfaces face upward and downward directions. For example, the X-Y plane of FIG. 2 may form the same plane as the lower plate 210 of the module case 200. On this X-Y plane, one surface of the secondary battery 110 stacked at the bottom is can be seated In addition, the secondary batteries 110 of the laid-down form may be stacked and disposed in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction of the drawing) so that the upper surface and the lower surface face each other.

In particular, the cell assembly 100 may be configured such that the electrode lead 111 of the pouch-type secondary battery 110 is positioned in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the module case 200 . For example, referring to FIG. 2 , in each of the pouch-type secondary batteries 110 provided in the cell assembly 100 , the electrode lead 111 is forward (+Y-axis direction) or rearward (- Y-axis direction) may be configured to face.

In addition, the module case 200 may be configured such that at least one side of the front and rear is opened. For example, as in the portion indicated by O1 in FIG. 2 , the module case 200 may be configured such that the front side thereof is opened. In addition, like the portion indicated by O2 in FIG. 2 , the module case 200 may be configured such that a portion thereof is opened. In particular, the side plates 220 present on the left and right sides of the cell assembly 100 may be configured to have a bent front end and a rear end, and may be configured to cover a portion of the front and rear portions of the cell assembly 100 . In this case, the side plate 220 may be configured to be connected to each other between the front end of the left plate and the front end of the right plate, and between the rear end of the left plate and the rear end of the right plate. In this case, the front and rear ends of the left and right plates are connected to each other, so that the front and rear of the cell assembly 100 may be covered. In this case, it can be said that the module case is provided with a front plate and a rear plate. However, in this case, an opening may be formed in the front plate and/or the rear plate so that the electrode leads 111 and the like protrude. Alternatively, the left plate and the right plate may be configured such that the front end and/or the rear end are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

According to this configuration of the present invention, when a spark is ejected together with the venting gas from the cell assembly 100, the venting gas is smoothly discharged to the outside of the module case 200, while the spark, etc. (especially, included in the inside) active material, aluminum particles, etc.) may be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the module case 200 .

In particular, in the pouch-type secondary battery 110 , when the internal pressure increases due to thermal runaway, etc., the portion from which the gas is discharged by explosion is in the sealing portion S, as shown in the portion indicated by K in FIG. 3 , the electrode lead ( 111) is very likely to be a non-located part. That is, when the secondary battery 110 explodes, the explosion site is highly likely to be the sealing part S at both ends (left and right ends) in the ±X-axis direction of FIG. In the part (S), an explosion may not easily occur.

According to the embodiment, even if an explosion occurs in any of the secondary batteries 110 provided in the cell assembly 100, the venting gas passes through the venting path V1 to the discharge units O1 and O2. The blocking member 300 may inevitably pass through. Therefore, in this case, the filtering effect such as sparks by the blocking member 300 can be ensured more reliably.

In addition, the battery module according to the present invention may further include a bus bar assembly 400 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

The bus bar assembly 400 may be located at the discharge portions O1 and O2 of the module case 200 . In particular, the electrode leads 111 of the cell assembly 100 may be positioned in the discharge portions O1 and O2 of the module case 200 . Accordingly, the bus bar assembly 400 may be configured to be coupled to the electrode lead 111 of the cell assembly 100 .

For example, referring to the configuration of FIG. 2 , in the cell assembly 100 , the electrode leads 111 are positioned at both ends in the Y-axis direction, and the module case 200 may be configured such that both ends in the Y-axis direction are opened in response thereto. There are (O1, O2). In addition, the bus bar assembly 400 may be coupled to the open portions O1 and O2. If the electrode lead 111 of the cell assembly 100 is positioned to protrude only in one side of the battery module, for example, in the +Y-axis direction, the module case 200 may be configured to open only in the +Y-axis direction. The module case 200 may be configured to be sealed except for an open portion to which the bus bar assembly 400 is coupled. Accordingly, when gas is generated inside the module case 200 , the generated gas may be discharged only to the side where the bus bar assembly 400 is located.

As described above, the bus bar assembly 400 may be configured to be positioned on at least one side of the module case 200 , for example, at both front and rear ends (both ends in the Y-axis direction in FIG. 2 ) of the module case 200 . have. In addition, the bus bar assembly 400 may include a module bus bar 410 and a bus bar housing 420 .

Here, the module bus bar 410 may be made of an electrically conductive material, for example, a metal material such as copper or nickel. In addition, the module bus bar 410 may be configured to be electrically connected to the electrode lead 111 of the cell assembly 100 . In particular, the module bus bar 410 may be welded or bolted in direct contact with the electrode lead 111 . In addition, the module bus bar 410 may electrically connect between the electrode leads 111 or transmit voltage information sensed from the electrode leads 111 to an external control unit, for example, a Battery Management System (BMS). have.

In addition, the bus bar housing 420 may be configured such that the module bus bar 410 can be seated therein. For example, the bus bar housing 420 may have a shape corresponding to the surface of the module bus bar 410 , for example, a planar shape portion as a seating portion so that the module bus bar 410 is mounted thereon. In addition, the bus bar housing 420 may support the module bus bar 410 so that the seated module bus bar 410 can stably maintain its position. For example, the bus bar housing 420 may be coupled and fixed to the module bus bar 410 using various fastening methods such as bolts, rivets, fusion, insertion, and adhesion. The bus bar housing 420 may be made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic (polymer) so as not to be electrically connected to the module bus bar 410 . In addition, the bus bar housing 420 may be coupled and fixed to the front and rear ends of the module case 200 , for example, the side plate 220 . In this case, the coupling method between the bus bar housing 420 and the module case 200 may be implemented in various forms such as bolts, rivets, fusion, insertion, and adhesion.

In the bus bar assembly 400 , a slot 401 may be formed through the electrode lead 111 . For example, a slot 401 is formed in the bus bar housing 420 and/or the module bus bar 410 , and the electrode lead 111 may be inserted into the slot 401 . In general, for stability of coupling, the module bus bar 410 is seated on the outer surface of the bus bar housing 420 , and the electrode lead 111 is located inside the bus bar housing 420 from the bus bar housing 420 . It may come into contact with the outer surface of the module bus bar 410 located outside after passing through the slot 401 of the .

The slot 401 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the electrode lead 111 so that the electrode lead 111 can easily pass therethrough. For example, as shown in the drawing, the slot 401 may be formed in a form that is elongated in the left-right direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). In addition, a plurality of such slots 401 may be formed in the bus bar housing 420 . Moreover, when the pouch-type secondary batteries 110 are stacked in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction in the drawing), a plurality of electrode leads 111 may exist in the vertical direction. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2 , a plurality of slots 401 may also be disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction.

The slot 401 may serve to penetrate the electrode lead 111 and support the electrode lead 111 , and may additionally serve to discharge the vent gas. In the slot 401 , a gap may exist around the electrode lead 111 in a state in which the electrode lead 111 passes. And, the other part of the module case 200 may be configured in an almost sealed form. In this case, when a vent gas is generated due to a thermal runaway situation or the like in at least one of the secondary batteries 110 included in the cell assembly 100 , the gas may increase the pressure inside the battery module. However, since an empty gap is formed around the slot 401 through which the electrode lead 111 has passed, the gas inside the battery module may be discharged to the outside through this slot. That is, in this case, the slot 401 may serve as a discharge part of the module case 200 according to the present invention. However, sparks or flares other than gas may be prevented from being discharged to the outside by the blocking member 300 , as described above.

As in the above-described embodiment, in the battery module according to the present invention, the module case 200 may be configured such that when gas is generated from the cell assembly 100, the generated gas is discharged to at least one side of the front and the rear. . In particular, a portion from which the gas is discharged to the outside of the module case 200 may be a slot 401 of the bus bar assembly. And, in such a configuration, the blocking member 300 may be located on a path before reaching the discharge unit from the inner space of the module case 200 .

According to this configuration of the present invention, a configuration in which gas and sparks discharged from the cell assembly 100 pass through the blocking member 300 before flowing out to the outside of the module case 200 can be easily achieved. Accordingly, gas in a gas state is smoothly discharged to the outside of the module case 200 , while sparks in a non-gas state may be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the module case 200 by the blocking member 300 .

In the battery module according to the present invention, the module case may include a switching unit 201 . This will be described in more detail with additional reference to FIG. 5 .

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion A1 of FIG. 3 .

3 and 5 , the module case 200 may be configured such that the switching unit 201 is positioned on the venting path V1. For example, in the module case 200, when the venting path V1 is formed to extend from the inner surface of the side plate 220 to the openings O1 and O2, the conversion part 201 is such a venting path ( It may be configured to be located on V1).

In particular, the conversion unit 201 may be formed at the front end and/or the rear end inside the module case 200 . For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , the outlets O1 and O2 are formed at both ends of the battery module in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction), respectively, and the venting path V1 is formed in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the cell assembly. ), when respectively formed on the outside, the switching unit 201 may be formed on the left and right sides of the front end portion as indicated by A1 and A2, and on the left and right sides of the rear end portion as indicated by the portions A3 and A4, respectively.

In addition, the switching unit 201 may be configured such that the flow direction of the venting gas is switched to the opposite direction. For example, referring to the configuration of FIG. 5 , in the switching unit 201 located at the left front end of the module case 200 , the flow direction of the venting gas is, as indicated by an arrow, from the +Y axis direction to the -Y axis It may be configured to be turned approximately 180 degrees in the direction. In addition, the switching unit 201 located at the right front end of the module case 200, such as the portion indicated by A2, may also be configured such that the flow direction of the venting gas is changed by approximately 180° from the +Y-axis direction to the -Y-axis direction. . And, the switching unit 201 located on the left and right ends of the module case 200, such as the parts marked with A3 and A4, is configured such that the flow direction of the venting gas is changed by approximately 180° from the -Y axis direction to the +Y axis direction. can

According to this configuration of the present invention, by the switching unit 201 formed in the module case 200, the flow of gas is switched, thereby preventing the movement of sparks or flares flowing along the venting path V1 together with the gas. may be delayed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the discharge of sparks or flares to the outside of the module case 200 can be more suppressed.

Moreover, the conversion unit 201 may be formed in a concave shape toward the front or rear of the module case 200 , as shown in FIG. 3 . For example, in the configuration of FIG. 3 , in the case of the switching part 201 located at the front end, such as the portions indicated by A1 and A2, it may be formed in the form of a groove concave in the front (+Y-axis direction). In addition, in the configuration of FIG. 3 , in the case of the switching part 201 located at the rear end, such as the portions indicated by A3 and A4, it may be formed in the form of a groove concave in the rear (-Y-axis direction).

According to this configuration of the present invention, the effect of confinement of sparks, flares, etc. can be obtained by the configuration of the concavely formed switching part 201 . For example, in the case of the switching part 201 located at the front end in the configuration of FIG. 5 , the switching part 201 in the form of a groove formed concave in the front (+Y-axis direction) is the front (+Y-axis direction) ) to prevent sparks or flares from moving forward any longer. In addition, the sparks or flares blocked in this way may move in the left-right direction (±X-axis direction) along the front end inner surface I0 of the switching unit 201 . However, side surfaces, as indicated by I1 and I2, may be present in the left and right directions of the front end inner surface I0 of the switching unit 201 . Therefore, the effect that sparks or flares are trapped in the inner space of the diverter 201 can be achieved.

Also, in the embodiment, the blocking member 300 may be configured such that at least a part thereof is inserted into the diverting unit 201 .

For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 , when the switching part 201 is concave in the outward direction (Y-side direction) at the front and/or rear of the module case 200, the blocking member ( 300 may be inserted into the inner space of the concave conversion part 201 formed in this way. Moreover, the blocking member 300 may be configured to cover the entire inner space of the switching unit 201 . For example, in the configuration of FIG. 5 , the blocking member 300 may be configured such that both ends contact the inner surface of the switching unit 201 . More specifically, the left end of the blocking member 300 is in contact with the left inner surface I1 of the diverting portion 201 , and the right end of the blocking member 300 is in contact with the right inner surface I2 of the diverting portion 201 . may be in the form of

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the coupling between the module case 200 and the blocking member 300 can be improved. In addition, according to this embodiment of the present invention, the blocking member 300 and the switching unit 201 blocking and trapping effects such as sparks can be secured stably.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the blocking member 300 may be inserted into the concave portion of the switching unit 201 by a certain distance or more.

For example, as in the portion indicated by C1 in the configuration of FIG. 5 , the blocking member 300 may be provided at a position spaced apart from the groove entrance of the switching unit 201 forward (+Y-axis direction) by a predetermined distance or more. . That is, the right end (-X-axis direction end) of the blocking member 300 has one end coupled to the right inner surface I2 of the switching unit 201 , but not the rear end of the right inner surface I2 of the switching unit 201 . It may be provided at a position advanced by a predetermined distance in the forward (+Y-axis direction).

According to this configuration of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the active material particles filtered by the blocking member 300 from moving toward the openings O1 and O2. That is, when the active material is filtered by the blocking member 300 , since an inner surface such as the portion indicated by C1 exists, it is possible to prevent the filtered active material from flowing into the opening O1 side.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the blocking member 300 may be configured to be spaced apart from the front and rear inner surfaces of the switching unit 201 by a predetermined distance.

For example, referring to the configuration shown in FIG. 5 , in the switching unit 201 located at the left front end of the module case 200 , the blocking member 300 is rearward from the front inner surface I0 of the switching unit 201 . (-Y-axis direction), it may be configured to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance by C2.

According to this configuration of the present invention, a predetermined space may exist between the end inner surface I0 of the switching unit 201 and the blocking member 300 . And, by trapping the active material or aluminum particles in the empty space between the inner surface I0 of the switching unit 201 and the blocking member 300, external discharge of the active material or aluminum particles can be more reliably blocked. . For example, in the configuration of FIG. 5 , a situation may occur in which a portion of the active material that has moved forward (+Y-axis direction) together with the venting gas is not primarily filtered by the blocking member 300 . However, according to the embodiment, when the active material that has passed through the blocking member 300 collides with the inner surface I0 of the switching unit 201 and wants to move in the opposite direction (-Y-axis direction), the blocking member 300 is can be secondarily filtered by In this case, the filtered active material may be confined in the space C2 between the inner surface I0 of the conversion part 201 and the blocking member 300 . Therefore, in this case, the filtering effect of the active material or the like can be further improved.

In addition, the blocking member 300 may be configured to include a first blocking part 310 and a second blocking part 320 . This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 6 .

6 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of the blocking member 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 6 may be a modified example of the portion A1 of FIG. 3 . The present embodiment will be mainly described with respect to parts that are different from the previous embodiment, and detailed descriptions of parts to which the description of the previous embodiment can be applied in the same or similar manner will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the blocking member 300 may include a first blocking unit 310 inserted into the switching unit 201 . The first blocking part 310 can be said to be similar to the configuration of the blocking member 300 shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5 . Also, in this embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the first blocking unit 310 , a second blocking unit 320 may be additionally provided. The second blocking part 320 may be configured to be located at the rear end of the venting path V1 than the first blocking part 310 .

Here, the rear end of the venting path V1 may be referred to as a portion located behind the venting path V1 when the venting gas is discharged from the inner space of the module case 200 along the venting path V1. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 6 , the venting gas may move in the same order as the directions indicated by arrows D1, D2 and D3. Here, the first blocking unit 310 may be located at a portion in which the venting gas flows in the directions of arrows D1 and D2 , and the second blocking unit 320 may be located at a portion in which the venting gas flows in the direction of the arrow D3 . Therefore, it can be said that the second blocking part 320 is located at the rear end of the first blocking part 310 on the venting path V1.

In addition, the second blocking unit 320 may be configured to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the first blocking unit 310 . The angle between the first blocking part 310 and the second blocking part 320 may be appropriately set according to the flow direction of the venting path V1.

In particular, in the exemplary configuration of FIG. 6 , between the arrows D1 and D2 in the flow direction of the venting gas passing through the first blocking part 310 and the arrow D3 in the flow direction of the venting gas passing through the second blocking part 320 . The angle of may be a right angle. Accordingly, the second blocking part 320 may be configured to be substantially orthogonal to the first blocking part 310 . In addition, the second blocking part 320 may be configured to extend to a portion where the receiving part R of the cell assembly is located. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 6 , the second blocking unit 320 has one end (front end) coupled to the first blocking unit 310, and the rear end is up to the portion where the receiving unit (R in FIG. 2 ) is located. It may be configured in a form extending in the rear (-Y-axis direction).

According to this configuration of the present invention, the filtering effect of the venting gas by the blocking member 300 , in particular, the filtering effect of sparks or flares by the blocking member 300 can be more stably secured. Moreover, it can be seen that the internal space of the battery module is formed to be very narrow. According to the above-described configuration, efficient arrangement and configuration of the blocking member 300 may be possible even in a narrow space. Accordingly, in this case, effects such as improved filtering of the blocking member 300 , reduced battery module volume, and improved fairness can be achieved.

In addition, the blocking member 300 may be configured such that holes of different sizes are arranged in a horizontal direction. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 7 .

7 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of the blocking member 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 7 may be an enlarged view of a modified example of the configuration of the left front part of the battery module in the configuration of FIG. 3 . The present embodiment will also be mainly described with respect to parts that are different from the previous embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the blocking member 300 may be configured such that holes of different sizes are disposed in the horizontal direction of the X-axis. That is, in FIG. 7 , the blocking member 300 may be divided into a portion indicated by F1 (outer blocking portion) and a portion indicated by F2 (inner blocking portion). In this case, the portion indicated by F1 (outer blocking portion) and the portion indicated by F2 (inner blocking portion) may have different sizes of holes. In the configuration of the blocking member 300 , the inner blocking portion F2 may be located inside the outer blocking portion F1 . For example, referring to the configuration of FIG. 7 , the inner blocking part F2 may be located in the -X-axis direction, which is an inner direction than the outer blocking part F1 .

Here, the outer blocking portion F1 and the inner blocking portion F2 may be configured to filter the venting gas flowing in different directions. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 7 , the outer blocking part F1 may be configured to be positioned at a portion through which the venting gas flowing in the direction of arrow D1' passes. In addition, the inner blocking portion F2 may be configured to be positioned at a portion through which the venting gas flowing in the direction of the arrow D2' passes. That is, the outer blocking portion F1 and the inner blocking portion F2 may be configured to filter the venting gas that exists on one plane but flows in opposite directions.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, the inner blocking part F2 may be configured to be located inside the extension line of the receiving part R of the secondary battery 110 . That is, in FIG. 7 , the extension line with respect to the storage part R of the secondary battery is the line E1-E1', which can be said to be parallel to the Y-axis direction. In this case, the inner blocking part F2 may be configured to be located in the line E1-E1' or in an inner direction (-X-axis direction) than that.

According to this configuration of the present invention, the filtering effect by the blocking member 300 can be further improved. In particular, in the configuration of FIG. 7 , the outer blocking part F1 has a hole having a relatively larger size than the inner blocking part F2, so that the venting gas flowing in the direction of arrow D1' can filter the active material having a relatively large particle size. have. However, the active material having a small particle diameter may pass through the outer blocking unit F1, but in the process of moving in the direction of the arrow D2', it may be secondarily filtered by the inner blocking unit F2 in which a small hole is formed. have.

Therefore, according to this configuration of the present invention, an active material having a large particle diameter and an active material having a small particle diameter can be divided and filtered in one blocking member 300 . Accordingly, the filtering effect of the blocking member 300 may be reliably maintained for a long period of time.

In addition, the blocking member 300 may include a protrusion. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8 .

8 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of the blocking member 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment will also be mainly described with respect to parts that are different from the previous embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the blocking member 300 may be configured to have protrusions formed on its outer surface. In particular, the protrusion may be formed to protrude in the inflow direction of the venting gas, on the inflow side of the venting gas. For example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 8 , in the case of the outer blocking part F1', the venting gas may be introduced in the direction of the arrow D1''. At this time, on the rear (-Y-axis direction) side surface where the venting gas flows from the outer blocking part F1', as indicated by P1, it protrudes in the opposite direction to the inflow direction (D1'') of the venting gas. A protrusion (a first protrusion) may be formed. In addition, on the front (+Y-axis direction) side surface of the inner blocking part F2' through which the venting gas flows, as indicated by P2, the direction opposite to the inflow direction (D2'') of the venting gas (+Y-axis direction) ), a protrusion (second protrusion) may be formed in a protruding form. In particular, the protrusions P1 and P2 of the blocking member 300 may be formed in the form of a pin having a sharp end. For example, the first protrusion P1 may be configured to have a thickness gradually decreasing toward the rear (-Y-axis direction). In addition, the protrusions P1 and P2 of the blocking member 300 may be configured to be positioned around a hole formed in the blocking member 300 .

According to this configuration of the present invention, when the venting gas passes through the blocking member 300 , particles such as an active material included in the venting gas can be more reliably filtered by the protrusions P1 and P2 . That is, according to the embodiment, the active material may be filtered according to the hole size of the blocking member 300 , but in the case of a fine active material smaller than the hole of the blocking member 300 , it is filtered by the protrusions P1 and P2 . can do. In addition, even if the size of the active material is larger than the hole of the blocking member 300, there is a possibility of passing through the hole of the blocking member 300 by the venting pressure. By allowing the active material to be caught by the diaphragm, the filtering effect of the active material and the like can be reliably ensured.

9 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of the blocking member 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion A5 of FIG. 9 . The present embodiment will also be mainly described with respect to parts that are different from the previous embodiment.

First, referring to FIG. 9 , the blocking member 300 may include a plurality of blocking members 300 disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the flow direction of the venting gas, for example, in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction). For example, the blocking member 300 may be configured such that a third blocking part 330 configured in a mesh shape and a fourth blocking part 340 configured in a mesh shape are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

In particular, the plurality of blocking members 300 may be configured such that the flow of the venting gas is bent by each hole. For example, referring to the configuration of FIG. 10 , the third hole H3 formed in the third blocking part 330 and the fourth hole H4 formed in the fourth blocking part 340 are the module case 200 . may be configured to be formed at different positions in the left-right direction of the , that is, in the X-axis direction. In this case, the venting gas flowing in the direction of arrow D1''' in FIG. 9 is changed in the space between the third blocking part 330 and the fourth blocking part 340, as shown in FIG. can be configured. Accordingly, the filtering effect by the two blocking members 300 may be further improved.

In the above embodiment, a protrusion may be formed on each of the plurality of blocking members 300 . For example, as shown in the configuration of FIG. 10 , the third blocking part 330 may have a third protrusion P3 formed to protrude toward the fourth blocking part 340 . In addition, the fourth blocking part 340 may have a fourth protrusion P4 formed in a shape protruding toward the third blocking part 330 . In particular, the third protrusion P3 and the fourth protrusion P4 may have a pointed end shape.

According to this configuration of the present invention, due to the protrusions formed between the plurality of blocking members 300, the filtering effect can be further improved. In particular, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 10 , in the space between the blocking members 300 , the flow direction of the venting gas may be bent. At this time, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to more reliably filter the moving particles, particularly the particles moving in the X-axis direction.

11 is an enlarged view schematically showing a partial configuration of the blocking member 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment will also be mainly described with respect to parts that are different from the previous embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 11 , the blocking member 300 may be disposed in a direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the flow direction of the venting gas when the venting gas flows in the same direction as the arrow D. In addition, the blocking member 300 may have a protrusion P5 formed around the hole H. At this time, the protrusion P5 may be configured to extend in an arrow D direction (Y-axis direction), which is a flow direction of the venting gas, and to have an end bent in an X-axis direction orthogonal thereto. In particular, the protrusion P5 may be configured to be bent toward the direction in which the hole H exists.

According to this configuration of the present invention, it is possible to further improve the filtering effect of the active material flowing together with the venting gas. Furthermore, the configuration shown in FIG. 11 may be applied to the third blocking unit 330 of FIGS. 9 and 10 . In this case, active material particles and the like may be more reliably filtered by the protrusions P5 while the direction of the venting gas is changed.

12 is an enlarged view schematically showing a partial configuration of the blocking member 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment will also be mainly described with respect to parts that are different from the previous embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 12 , the battery module according to the present invention may further include a pore member 500 . The pore member 500 may be configured in a form in which a plurality of pores are retained. In particular, these internal pores may be configured to communicate with the outside. That is, the pores held in the pore member 500 may be called empty spaces filled with only gas, and these pores may be configured to communicate with the outside, not in a closed form. For example, the porous member 500 may be configured in a form in which a plurality of wires, particularly a plurality of wires made of a material such as metal or polymer, are entangled with each other.

The pore member 500 may be configured to be inserted into the inner space of the conversion unit 201 . In particular, the pore member 500 may be configured to be inserted into the space between the blocking member 300 and the inner surface of the conversion unit 201 .

According to this configuration of the present invention, sparks or flares introduced into the diverter 201 are trapped by the pores formed in the pore member 500 , and movement can be prevented or blocked. In particular, in the case of the embodiment, the active material and the like can be filtered to a significant extent by the blocking member 300 , but even if a part of the active material passes through the blocking member 300 , the movement is further suppressed by the pore member 500 . or the speed may be delayed. Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, the blocking effect such as sparks can be more reliably ensured by the blocking member 300 and the pore member.

The battery pack according to the present invention may include one or more than one battery module according to the present invention. In addition, the battery pack according to the present invention includes, in addition to the battery module, various other components, such as BMS, bus bar, pack case, relay, current sensor, etc. known at the time of filing of the present invention. may include more.

The energy storage system according to the present invention may include one or more battery modules according to the present invention. In particular, in the energy storage system, in order to have a large energy capacity, a plurality of battery modules according to the present invention may be included in a form electrically connected to each other. Alternatively, a plurality of battery modules according to the present invention may constitute one battery pack, and the energy storage system may be configured in such a way that a plurality of such battery packs are included. In addition, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include other various components of the energy storage system known at the time of filing of the present invention. Moreover, such an energy storage system can be used in various places or devices, such as a smart grid system or an electric charging station. In particular, when the battery module according to an aspect of the present invention is employed, the energy density of a battery pack or an energy storage system can be improved.

Meanwhile, in this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used, but these terms are for convenience of explanation only, and may vary depending on the position of the object or the position of the observer. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can.

As described above, although the present invention has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical idea of the present invention and the following by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalents of the claims to be described.

100: cell assembly
110: secondary battery
111: electrode lead
200: module case
201: transition part
210: lower plate
220: side plate
230: upper plate
300: blocking member
301: edge portion, 302: filter portion
310: first blocking unit, 320: second blocking unit, 330: third blocking unit, 340: fourth blocking unit
400: busbar assembly
401: slot
410: module busbar, 420: busbar housing
500: no pore

Claims (11)

a cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries stacked on each other;
a module case accommodating the cell assembly in an internal space, and having a venting path and a discharge part formed therein so that the venting gas generated from the cell assembly is discharged; and
A blocking member provided in the venting path of the module case and having a plurality of holes to filter materials flowing through the venting path
A battery module comprising a. According to claim 1,
The blocking member is configured to filter at least one of sparks and flames ejected from the cell assembly. According to claim 1,
The blocking member is a battery module, characterized in that configured in a mesh shape. According to claim 1,
The cell assembly is stacked in a vertical direction in a state in which a plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries are laid down,
The electrode lead of the pouch-type secondary battery is located in the front-rear direction of the module case,
The module case is a battery module, characterized in that at least one side of the front and rear is configured to be opened. 5. The method of claim 4,
It characterized in that it is located in the open part of the module case, further comprising a bus bar assembly configured to be coupled to the electrode lead, wherein a slot is formed in the bus bar assembly so that the gas inside the module case is discharged to the outside. battery module. According to claim 1,
The module case is positioned on the venting path and includes a switching part configured to change the flow direction of the venting gas to the opposite direction,
The blocking member, at least a part of the battery module, characterized in that inserted into the switching unit. 7. The method of claim 6,
The blocking member includes a first blocking part inserted into the switching part, and a second blocking part located at the rear end of the venting path than the first blocking part and configured to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the first blocking part. battery module. According to claim 1,
The blocking member is a battery module, characterized in that the holes of different sizes are arranged in the horizontal direction. According to claim 1,
The blocking member is a battery module, characterized in that provided with a protrusion. A battery pack comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 9. An energy storage system comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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