KR20240096338A - Battery module, battery pack and vehicle comprising the battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells and a cooling tube provided between the plurality of battery cells and having a cell attachment surface attached to the plurality of battery cells, and inside the cooling tube, A cooling medium for cooling a plurality of battery cells flows, and a cooling channel disposed near the cell attachment surface and having a flat inner surface is formed.

Description

Battery module, battery pack and vehicle including the same {BATTERY MODULE, BATTERY PACK AND VEHICLE COMPRISING THE BATTERY MODULE}

The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle. More specifically, it relates to a battery module with improved cooling efficiency, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

Secondary batteries, which are easy to apply depending on the product group and have electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EV, Electric Vehicle) or hybrid vehicles (HEV, Hybrid Electric Vehicle) that are driven by an electrical drive source. It is universally applied. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, not only because they have the primary advantage of being able to dramatically reduce the use of fossil fuels, but also because they do not generate any by-products due to energy use.

Types of secondary batteries currently widely used include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. The operating voltage of these unit secondary battery cells, that is, unit battery cells, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack is formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. Additionally, a battery pack may be constructed by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel depending on the charge/discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Accordingly, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be set in various ways depending on the required output voltage or charge/discharge capacity.

Meanwhile, when configuring a battery pack by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series/parallel, a battery module containing at least one battery cell is first configured, and other components are added using this at least one battery module. There are common ways to configure battery packs.

In the case of a conventional battery module, cooling tubes are provided between battery cells to cool the battery cells. For these cooling tubes, it is important to secure heat transfer performance and minimize pressure loss to increase cooling efficiency.

Therefore, there is a need to find a way to provide a battery module with a cooling tube that can secure heat transfer performance and minimize pressure loss.

Accordingly, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery module including a cooling tube that can secure heat transfer performance and minimize pressure loss, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

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

In order to solve the above object, the present invention provides a battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery cells; and a cooling tube provided between the plurality of battery cells and having a cell attachment surface attached to the plurality of battery cells, wherein a cooling medium for cooling the plurality of battery cells flows inside the cooling tube. In addition, a battery module is provided, wherein a cooling channel disposed near the cell attachment surface is formed with a flat inner surface.

Also, preferably, the cooling tube is formed to have convex portions and concave portions alternately provided through pressurization during manufacturing of the cooling tube, and the cooling channel has a preset shape that does not cause deformation of the flat surface during pressurization. It may be provided in plural numbers.

Also, preferably, the cooling channel may have a length of 5.6 mm to 6.1 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube.

Also, preferably, the cooling channel may have a length of 6.08 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube.

Also, preferably, the cooling channel includes an inlet channel that guides the cooling medium supplied from an external cooling device; and an outlet channel that communicates with the inlet channel and guides the cooling medium flowing in the inlet channel to the external cooling device, wherein the outlet channel may be provided on an upper side of the inlet channel in the height direction of the cooling tube. there is.

Additionally, preferably, the number of cooling channels is 10, and the cooling channels may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other along the height direction of the cooling tube.

Also, preferably, there are five inlet channels and five outlet channels, and each inlet channel and each outlet channel may be spaced apart at a predetermined interval in the height direction of the cooling tube.

Also, preferably, the predetermined interval may be 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube.

Also, preferably, the predetermined gap may be 0.34 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube.

Also, preferably, the cooling channel may have a round end in the height direction of the cooling tube.

And, the present invention provides a battery pack, including at least one battery module according to the above-described embodiments; and a pack case accommodating the at least one battery module.

Additionally, the present invention provides an automobile, characterized in that it includes at least one battery pack according to the above-described embodiment.

According to the various embodiments described above, a battery module including a cooling tube capable of securing heat transfer performance and minimizing pressure loss, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle can be provided.

In addition, various other additional effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. These various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, or descriptions of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted.

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention described later, so the present invention includes the matters described in such drawings. It should not be interpreted as limited to only .
1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a diagram for explaining a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a front view of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining a manufacturing process through a press process of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a view for explaining a cross-sectional view of a cooling channel after a press process depending on the number of cooling channels of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining the differential pressure per unit length according to the number of cooling channels of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 and 10 are diagrams for explaining the expected differential pressure according to the configuration of the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining a cooling channel of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the number of channels and shape information of the cooling channels of the cooling tube of FIG. 11.
Figure 13 is a diagram for explaining simulation results according to the number and shape of cooling channels according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining influence analysis according to the simulation results of FIG. 13.
Figure 15 is a diagram for explaining a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 16 is a diagram for explaining a car according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, the terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and the inventor should appropriately use the concept of terms to explain his or her invention in the best way. It must be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle of definability.

Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not entirely represent the technical idea of the present invention, so at the time of filing the present application, various options that can replace them are available. It should be understood that equivalents and variations may exist.

Meanwhile, in this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back may be used, but these terms are only for convenience of explanation, and may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that changes may occur.

1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the battery module 10 may include battery cells 100 and a cooling tube 200.

The battery cells 100 may be provided in plural numbers. The plurality of battery cells 100 may be provided as secondary batteries, such as a cylindrical secondary battery, a pouch-shaped secondary battery, or a prismatic secondary battery. Hereinafter, in an embodiment of the present invention, the description will be limited to the fact that the plurality of battery cells 100 are cylindrical secondary batteries.

The cooling tube 200 is provided between the plurality of battery cells 100 and can be attached to the plurality of battery cells 100 to increase cooling performance. Accordingly, the cooling tube 200 may have a cell attachment surface on its outer surface to which the plurality of battery cells 100 are attached.

In the cooling tube 200, a cooling channel 250 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, may be formed for the flow of a cooling medium. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling medium may be water as a liquid. Without being limited thereto, the cooling medium may include not only water but also one or more fluids capable of exchanging heat with the surrounding environment. The inner surface of the cooling channel 250 (see FIG. 4) facing the cell attachment surface may be provided as a flat surface.

The cooling tube 200 may be provided with a curvature in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) to increase cooling performance of the battery cells 100 provided with the cylindrical secondary battery. This is to increase cooling performance by securing more contact area between the outer surfaces of the battery cells 100, which are provided in a cylindrical shape, and the cooling tube 200. However, in the cooling channel 250 provided in the cooling tube 200, when the inner surface disposed near the cell attachment surface is curved, the heat transfer area is reduced, thereby reducing the heat of the cooling tube 200. Delivery performance may deteriorate. This curved shape of the cooling channel 250 may be caused during a press process for forming the curvature of the cooling tube 200, which will be described later.

In one embodiment of the present invention, even after the pressing process of the cooling tube 200, the inner surface of the cooling channel 250 disposed near the cell attachment surface can be secured as a flat surface, thereby securing a heat transfer area and Deterioration of the heat transfer performance of the cooling tube 200 can be prevented.

Hereinafter, the cooling tube 200 related to the inner shape of the cooling channel 250 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be examined in more detail.

Figure 2 is a diagram for explaining a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a front view of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention. is a side cross-sectional view, and Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining a manufacturing process through a press process of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5 , the cooling tube 200 is formed to have a predetermined length and may have a curvature shape in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction). The curvature shape may be a shape provided by alternating convex portions and concave portions in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction). The alternating arrangement of the convex portion and the concave portion may mean that one concave portion is disposed between two convex portions, and one convex portion is disposed between two concave portions. The plurality of battery cells 100 may be arranged in two rows in the longitudinal direction with the cooling tube 200 between them, and may be arranged to be attached to the convex portion and the concave portion.

The cooling tube 200 can have this curvature shape through pressure from the press device P when manufacturing the cooling tube 200. That is, the convex portions and concave portions can be manufactured alternately through pressure of the press device (P).

The cooling channels 250 may be provided in a predetermined number so that the inner surface of the cooling channels 250 is not deformed when the pressure is applied. The number of cooling channels 250 is an important design factor related to the deformation of the inner surface of the cooling channels 250 when the pressure is applied. In the cooling tube 200, as the number of cooling channels 250 increases, deformation of the cooling channels 250 during pressurization can be reduced. However, as the number of cooling channels 250 increases, the pressure loss of the cooling tube 200 also increases. When the pressure loss of the cooling tube 200 is large, the output of the pump for circulation of the cooling medium toward the cooling channel 250 must be increased, which increases power consumption and reduces the overall efficiency of the battery module 10. There is a problem with dropping the .

Therefore, in the cooling tube 200, it is important that the number of cooling channels 250 is provided at a preset number to reduce the pressure loss and not cause deformation of the inner surface of the cooling channel 250 during the pressing process. do. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling channels 250 are provided in 10 pieces, and may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other along the height direction of the cooling tube 200.

The cooling channel 250 may include an inlet channel 252 and an outlet channel 256.

The inlet channel 252 may guide the cooling medium supplied from an external cooling device toward the cooling tube 200. The inlet channel 252 may be disposed below the central axis of the cooling tube 200 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200. The inlet channel 252 is formed to be long along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200, and flows the cooling medium along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) from the lower portion of the cooling tube 200. It can be fluid.

The inlet channels 252 may be provided in a preset number. In this embodiment, the inlet channels 252 may be provided in plural numbers, specifically, five inlet channels 252 may be provided. The number of inlet channels 252 may be a number that takes into account both reducing pressure loss and preventing inner surface deformation during the press process described above. The plurality of inlet channels 252 may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other along the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200.

The outlet channel 256 is in communication with the inlet channel 252 and can guide the cooling medium flowing in the inlet channel 252 to the external cooling device. The outlet channel 256 may be disposed at the top of the cooling tube 200 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) with respect to the central axis of the cooling tube 200. Specifically, the outlet channel 256 may be provided above the inlet channel 252 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200. The outlet channel 256 is formed long along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200, and supplies the cooling medium along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) from the upper part of the cooling tube 200. It can be fluid.

The outlet channels 256 may be provided in a preset number. In this embodiment, a plurality of outlet channels 256 may be provided, specifically, five outlet channels 256 may be provided. The number of outlet channels 256 may be a number that takes into account both reducing pressure loss and preventing inner surface deformation during the press process described above. The plurality of outlet channels 256 may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other along the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200. Ultimately, each inlet channel 252 and each outlet channel 256 may be spaced apart at a predetermined interval in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the cooling tube 200.

Meanwhile, the cooling medium enters the inlet channel 252 through a port connected to the external cooling device of the cooling tube 200, flows along the longitudinal direction of the inlet channel 252, and then flows through the outlet on the other side of the port. It may move toward the channel 256, flow along the longitudinal direction of the outlet channel 256, and then move back toward the external cooling device through the port. The flow path of the cooling medium may be approximately U-shaped.

Hereinafter, we will look at test results related to the number of cooling channels 250 of the cooling tube 200 and the internal deformation of the cooling channels 250 during the press process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a cooling channel after a press process depending on the number of cooling channels of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6 and the previous FIGS. 1 to 5, one can go from case 1 to case 4, that is, in the cooling tube 200, as the number of cooling channels 250 increases, the cooling channel 250 increases. It can be seen that the maximum amount of deformation on the inner surface decreases. Specifically, as in Case 1 and Case 2, when the total number of cooling channels 250 is 8 (specifically, 4 inlet channels and 4 outlet channels each), there are more cooling channels 250 than Case 1 and Case 2. It can be seen that the maximum amount of deformation of the inner surface of the cooling channel 250 is greater than that of Case 3 and Case 4, which are provided in number. Meanwhile, when comparing Case 1 and Case 2, it can be seen that even when the number of cooling channels 250 is the same, a difference occurs in the maximum amount of deformation depending on the spacing between each cooling channel 250.

And, comparing Case 3 and Case 4, Case 3 (consisting of 12 cooling channels, 6 each of inlet channels and 6 outlet channels) and Case 4 (consisting of 16 cooling channels, 8 each of inlet channels and outlet channels). It can be seen that the maximum deformation amount of the inner surface of the cooling channel 250 is the same. In this case, it may be desirable to configure the cooling channel like Case 3 rather than Case 4 to reduce pressure loss. In this way, the number of cooling channels 250 can be set to a predetermined number that reduces pressure loss and does not cause deformation.

In the case of the cooling channel 250 according to an embodiment of the present invention, taking this into consideration, as seen above, a total of 10 inlet channels 252 and 5 outlet channels 256 can be provided. .

Meanwhile, with regard to the inner surface deformation of the cooling channel, the press speed during the pressing process did not significantly affect even if the speed was different. That is, with respect to the inner flatness of the cooling channel, the press speed during the pressing process has a small effect on the flatness.

7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining the differential pressure per unit length according to the number of cooling channels of a cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the differential pressure results per unit length of the cooling tube are shown according to the number of channels of the cooling tube. It can be seen that as the flow rate increases, the differential pressure per unit length increases, and as the number of cooling channels increases, the differential pressure increases. The test results show that when the cooling channels are composed of 8 channels, the pressure loss increases by approximately 45% compared to when the cooling channels are composed of 5 channels.

Meanwhile, in the test, the number of channels of 5 channels, 6 channels, and 8 channels may mean the number of each inlet channel and outlet channel, rather than the total number of cooling channels. That is, in the case of 5 channels, it may mean that the cooling tube is composed of 5 inlet channels and 5 outlet channels each, making a total of 10 cooling channels. Likewise, in the case of 8 channels, it may mean that a total of 16 cooling channels are configured. Ultimately, the test results show that reducing the number of cooling channels in the cooling tube can reduce pressure loss.

9 and 10 are diagrams for explaining the expected differential pressure according to the configuration of the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10, expected differential pressure results according to battery module configuration are shown. It can be seen that the differential pressure increases as the flow rate increases, and as the number of battery cells increases, the differential pressure increases. Meanwhile, in FIGS. 9 and 10, only the flow path length of the cooling channel in the cooling tube is reflected, and the port and end plate portion connected to the external cooling device are not reflected. Accordingly, for example, in the case of a 24S10P module, the channel length may be approximately 2520.4 mm (=2*1260.2 mm), and in the case of a 35S14P module, the channel length may be approximately 3663.3 mm (=2*1831.7 mm).

As a result of the test, it can be seen that the differential pressure of the 8-channel configuration of the 24S10P module and the 5-channel configuration of the 35S14P module are almost the same. In other words, when the cooling channel of the cooling tube is configured with 5 channels (5 channels each of inlet channel and outlet channel, 10 channels in total), more battery cells can be attached to the cooling tube. In other words, the cooling tube can be made longer, approximately 45% longer.

In this way, when the number of cooling channels in the cooling tube is composed of 5 channels each, inlet channels and outlet channels, it is possible to design a cooling tube that can attach more battery cells while allowing relatively free configuration of the battery module. .

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the cooling channel of the cooling tube according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the number and shape information of the cooling channel of the cooling tube of FIG. 11. 13 is a diagram for explaining simulation results according to the number and shape of cooling channels of the cooling channel according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining influence analysis according to the simulation results of FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 11 to 14 , as previously discussed, no deformation of the inner surfaces 257 and 259 of the cooling channels 250 of the cooling tube 200 occurs during the above-described pressing process of the cooling tube 200. It is important. In particular, it is important to prevent deformation of the inner surface 257 of the cooling channel disposed near the cell attachment surface 207 of the cooling tube 200 because it reduces the heat transfer area and deteriorates cooling performance. Therefore, it is important to design the inner surface 257 of the cooling channel 250 disposed near the cell attachment surface 207 of the cooling tube 200 as a flat surface without deformation during the press process.

Meanwhile, in the cooling channel 250, the inner surface 259 corresponding to the opposite side of the cell attachment surface 207 of the cooling tube 200 is unrelated to heat transfer performance, so the cooling tube ( It is relatively unimportant whether the inner surface 259 close to the opposite surface 209 of the cell attachment surface 207 of the cell 200), that is, the inner surface 259 that is relatively far away from the cell attachment surface 207, is deformed.

Therefore, it is necessary to design the cooling channel 250 that can minimize deformation of the inner surface 257 of the cooling tube 200 and be close to the cell attachment surface 207 while also reducing pressure loss.

First, as seen above, the cooling channels 250 may be provided with 5 inlet channels 252 and 5 outlet channels 256, for a total of 10 cooling channels. And, in one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness (b) of the cooling tube 200 may be 2.5 mm. Also, in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, the distance c between the inlet tube 252 and the outlet tube 256 disposed closest to each other may be 4 mm. In the simulation, the thickness (b) of the cooling tube 200 and the distance (c) between the inlet tube 252 and the outlet tube 256 disposed closest to each other may be fixed dimensions. Meanwhile, the compression distance through the press process may be 6.44 mm (initial 2.50 mm), and the preset differential pressure tolerance may be approximately 6.25 kPa.

The dimension item t may mean a predetermined gap between the cooling channels 250 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200. Specifically, the dimension item t refers to a predetermined distance between the inlet channels 252 and a predetermined distance between the outlet channels 256 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200. can do. The dimension item w may refer to the length of the cooling tube 200 in the height direction. Specifically, in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, it may be the length (w) of each inlet channel 252 and each outlet channel 256. The dimension item h may mean the width of the cooling channel 250 in the thickness (b) direction of the cooling tube 200. Specifically, it may be the width (h) of the cooling channel 250 in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the battery cells 100 (see FIG. 1).

Referring to FIG. 13, it can be seen that as the dimension item h (the width of the cooling channel 250 in the thickness b direction of the cooling tube 200) decreases, the amount of deformation decreases. For example, no. 1 to No. As shown in Figure 3, it can be seen that as the dimension item h decreases to 1.8mm, 1.78mm, and 1.76mm, the amount of deformation also decreases in the order of 0.409, 0.391, and 0.374. Also, no. 4 to No. As shown in Figure 6, it can be seen that as the dimension item h decreases to 1.8mm, 1.78mm, and 1.76mm, the amount of deformation also decreases in the order of 0.422, 0.405, and 0.388. Also, as the dimension item t (a predetermined distance between each inlet channel 252 and each outlet channel 256 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200) increases, the amount of deformation may increase. Additionally, it can be seen that as the dimension item w (the length of each inlet channel 252 and each outlet channel 256 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200) becomes smaller, the amount of deformation increases. In summary, the result with the lowest amount of deformation within the allowable differential pressure range (6.25kPa) is No. As a result of the simulation according to 3, it can be seen that it is case 3.

Referring to Figure 14, the influence of these dimension items is analyzed as follows. First, the closer it is to 1 in the table, the higher the influence between the two factors is. Dimension item t (a predetermined spacing between the cooling channels 250 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200) and dimension item w (in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, each inlet channel 252 and each outlet Length of the channel 256), it can be seen that under the conditions, the absolute value of the difference between positive and negative is the same. This may mean that the absolute value of the impact is the same. As shown in the table, the factors that mainly have a large influence on the difference in deformation are the dimension item t (a predetermined gap between the cooling channels 250 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200) and the dimension item h, which are greater than the dimension item t. It can be seen that dimension item h has a relatively higher influence.

As such, the cooling channel 250 may preferably have a length w of 5.6 mm to 6.1 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube 200. Specifically, in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, each cooling tube 250 may have a length of 6.08 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube. More specifically, in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, the length (w) of each inlet channel 252 and each outlet channel 256 may be 6.08 mm.

Additionally, a predetermined spacing (t) between the cooling channels 250 in the height direction of the cooling tube 200 may be 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm. Specifically, the predetermined spacing (t) may be 0.34 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube 200. More specifically, in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, the predetermined spacing (t) between the inlet channels 252 and the predetermined spacing (t) between the outlet channels 256 may be 0.34 mm. there is.

Additionally, the width (h) of the cooling channel 250 in the thickness (b) direction of the cooling tube 200 may be 1.7 mm to 1.8 mm. Specifically, in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the battery cells 100 (see FIG. 1), the width h of the cooling channel 250 may be 1.7 mm to 1.8 mm. More specifically, the width (h) of the cooling channel 250 may be 1.76 mm in the stacking direction of the battery cells 100.

Additionally, the cooling channel 250 may have a round end in the height direction of the cooling tube 200.

As shown in FIG. 12, the cooling channel 250 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a round end in the height direction of the cooling tube 200, and has a round end in the height direction of the cooling tube 200. The distance (t) between the cooling tubes 200 in each direction is 0.34 mm, the length (w) in the height direction of the cooling tube 200 is 6.08 mm, and the thickness (h) in the thickness direction (b) is 1.76 mm. You can.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling tube 200 is capable of significantly reducing pressure loss while minimizing deformation of the inner surface of the channel near the cell attachment surface through the cooling channel 250 provided in such shape, size, and number. can be provided.

Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the amount of energy consumed for cooling the battery cells 100 is reduced through the cooling tube 200, which can secure heat transfer performance while minimizing the pressure loss, resulting in the overall More efficient operation of the system can be achieved.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the battery module 10 may include a side structure unit 300.

The side structure unit 300 supports the battery cells 100 and can secure the rigidity of the battery cells 100. The side structure unit 400 is formed to have a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery module 10, and can accommodate and support the battery cells 100 by being provided in one or more pieces and assembled together.

The battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may form a cell array structure through the battery cells 100, the cooling tube 200, and the side structure unit 300. The side structure unit 300, which constitutes the cell array structure, can guide the battery module 10 to be configured while omitting a separate cover structure such as a conventional module frame, thereby implementing a so-called module frameless structure. As a result, the battery module 10 can be slimmed and its energy density can be increased.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

15 and 16, the battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one battery module 10 according to the previous embodiment and a pack case accommodating the battery module 10. (50) may be included.

The battery pack 1 may further include electrical components such as a BMS that controls the battery module 10 or a cooling unit such as a heat sink for cooling the battery module 10.

The battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include various other components of the battery pack 1 known at the time of filing the present invention. For example, the battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include components such as a current sensor, a fuse, and a service plug.

Additionally, the vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery packs 10 according to the present invention. Additionally, the vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include various other components included in the vehicle in addition to the battery pack 10. For example, in addition to the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a vehicle body, a motor, and a control device such as an ECU (electronic control unit). It can be included.

In addition, the battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be installed in other devices, instruments, and facilities, such as an energy storage system using secondary batteries, in addition to the vehicle V. Of course.

According to the various embodiments described above, a battery module 10 having a cooling tube 200 capable of securing heat transfer performance and minimizing pressure loss, a battery pack 1 including the same, and a vehicle V are provided. can be provided.

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

V: car
1: Battery pack
10: Battery module
50: pack case
100: battery cell
200: cooling tube
250: cooling channel
252: Inlet channel
256: Outlet channel
300: Side structure unit

Claims (12)

In the battery module,
a plurality of battery cells; and
A cooling tube is provided between the plurality of battery cells and has a cell attachment surface attached to the plurality of battery cells,
Inside the cooling tube,
A battery module, wherein a cooling medium for cooling the plurality of battery cells flows, and a cooling channel disposed near the cell attachment surface and having a flat inner surface is formed. According to paragraph 1,
The cooling tube is,
When manufacturing the cooling tube, convex portions and concave portions are formed alternately through pressure,
The cooling channel is,
A battery module, characterized in that it is provided in a preset plural number in which deformation of the flat surface does not occur when the pressure is applied. According to paragraph 1,
The cooling channel is,
A battery module, characterized in that the cooling tube has a length of 5.6 mm to 6.1 mm in the height direction. According to paragraph 3,
The cooling channel is,
A battery module characterized in that the cooling tube has a length of 6.08 mm in the height direction. According to paragraph 1,
The cooling channel is,
an inlet channel guiding the cooling medium supplied from an external cooling device;
It includes an outlet channel that communicates with the inlet channel and guides the cooling medium flowing in the inlet channel to the external cooling device,
The outlet channel is,
A battery module, characterized in that it is provided above the inlet channel in the height direction of the cooling tube. According to paragraph 1,
The cooling channel is,
A battery module comprising 10 units and arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other along the height direction of the cooling tube. According to clause 5,
The inlet channel and the outlet channel are each provided with five,
Each inlet channel and each outlet channel,
A battery module, characterized in that it is spaced apart at a predetermined interval in the height direction of the cooling tube. In clause 7,
The predetermined interval is,
A battery module, characterized in that 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube. According to clause 8,
The predetermined interval is,
A battery module, characterized in that 0.34 mm in the height direction of the cooling tube. According to paragraph 1,
The cooling channel is,
A battery module, characterized in that it has a round end in the height direction of the cooling tube. In the battery pack,
At least one battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 10; and
Pack case accommodating the at least one battery module
A battery pack comprising: In cars,
A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 11.

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