KR20240097568A - Battery pack with improved fire protection performance - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a pack case storing the cell module assembly in an internal space; and a fire extinguishing unit capable of extinguishing the battery cell by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the inside of the pack case when a thermal event of the battery cell occurs, wherein the pack case has an edge in the longitudinal direction and a width direction of the bottom surface of the pack case. It includes at least one drain on at least one of the edges, and the drain includes a thermal expansion member configured to expand in volume above a predetermined temperature and seal the drain.

Description

Battery pack with improved fire protection performance}

The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more specifically, to a battery pack that allows a fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) to remain in the battery pack for a long time when a thermal event occurs.

Currently commercialized secondary batteries include nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Among these, lithium secondary batteries have little memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, so they can be freely charged and discharged. It is receiving attention for its extremely low self-discharge rate and high energy density.

These lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxide and carbon material as positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively. A lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in which positive and negative electrode plates coated with the positive and negative electrode active materials are disposed with a separator in between, and an exterior material, that is, a battery case, that seals and stores the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

In general, lithium secondary batteries can be classified into can-type secondary batteries in which the electrode assembly is built into a metal can and pouch-type secondary batteries in which the electrode assembly is built in a pouch of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the exterior material.

These secondary batteries are widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices, but also in medium-to-large devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS), and their use is rapidly increasing. Moreover, in recent years, the use of residential battery packs for power storage is increasing.

The present invention seeks to provide a battery pack that allows fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) to remain in the battery pack for a long time when a thermal event occurs.

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

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a pack case storing the cell module assembly in an internal space; and a fire extinguishing unit capable of extinguishing the battery cell by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the inside of the pack case when a thermal event of the battery cell occurs, wherein the pack case has an edge in the longitudinal direction and a width direction of the bottom surface of the pack case. It may include at least one drain at at least one of the edges, and the drain may include a thermal expansion member whose volume expands above a predetermined temperature to seal the drain.

The thermal expansion member is disposed at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the drain, and may further include a thermal expansion member coupling portion disposed across a cross section of the drain to fix the thermal expansion member.

A groove may be provided on at least one end of the thermal expansion member, the thermal expansion member coupling portion may be bar-shaped, and the thermal expansion member coupling portion may be fixedly coupled to the groove of the thermal expansion member.

The thermal expansion member coupling portion may be disposed at at least one of an inlet and an outlet of the drain.

The thermal expansion member may have a pin shape disposed along the path of the drain.

The thermal expansion member and the inner surface of the drain may be arranged coaxially.

The thermal expansion member may be in contact with and surround at least a portion of the inner surface of the drain.

The thermal expansion member may be made of a polymer material.

The thermal expansion member is PDMS (Poly-Di-Methyl-Siloxane), polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, butyl (meth)acrylate, hexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate. It may be any one selected from the group consisting of ester, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, and combinations thereof.

The thermal expansion member may include a shim of a heat-resistant material located inside the thermal expansion member along the longitudinal direction of the thermal expansion member.

The fire extinguishing unit may be a fire extinguishing tank located above the cell module assembly and covering the pack case.

The fire extinguishing agent may be a liquid fire extinguishing agent.

The battery pack may be provided in plural numbers, and the plurality of battery packs may be connected to each other through mechanical or electrical connection.

The plurality of battery packs may be stacked in a vertical direction.

The electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs may be connected in series so that the voltage ranges of the plurality of battery packs can be implemented in various ways.

Electrical connections between the plurality of battery packs may be connected in parallel so that the storage capacity of the plurality of battery packs can vary.

An energy storage device according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes one or more of the above-described battery packs according to the present invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention, when a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the cell module assembly, the thermal expansion member expands in volume above a predetermined temperature and is configured to seal the drain, so that when supplying fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) into the pack case. , the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) is not discharged to the outside of the pack case through the drain. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) can remain in the cell module assembly 100 inside the pack case for a long time. In other words, fire or thermal runaway of the cell module assembly can be suppressed more reliably.

And, according to one aspect of the present invention, products with various voltage ranges and/or storage capacities can be prepared by stacking a plurality of battery packs of the same type.

In addition, various other additional effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. The various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, or the description 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 together with the detailed description of the invention described later, serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention includes the matters described in such drawings. It should not be interpreted as limited to only .
1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration in which a fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the battery pack of FIG. 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A4-A4' in FIG. 3.
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cell module assembly included in the battery pack of FIG. 5.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a blocking member included in the battery pack of Figure 5.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a pack case included in the battery pack of Figure 5.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating a case where the cell module assembly of FIG. 8 is stored in a pack case.
Figure 11 is a top view of the pack case of Figure 8.
Figures 14 and 15 each show embodiments of thermal expandable member 360a.
12 and 13 are partial enlarged views of the pack case.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of a fire extinguishing tank included in the battery pack of Figure 5.
Figure 17 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the fire extinguishing tank of Figure 16.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a battery pack in which all components of the battery pack described above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 17 are combined.
Figure 19 is a perspective view schematically showing the battery pack of Figures 1 to 18.
FIGS. 20 and 21 are diagrams showing an embodiment in which different numbers of pack cases shown in FIG. 19 are stacked.

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 must 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.

In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description are omitted, and identical or similar components are assigned the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, so the present invention is not necessarily limited to what is shown. In the drawing, the thickness is enlarged to clearly express various layers and areas. And in the drawings, for convenience of explanation, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated.

Additionally, when a part of a layer, membrane, region, plate, etc. is said to be “on” or “on” another part, this includes not only cases where it is “directly above” another part, but also cases where there is another part in between. . Conversely, when a part is said to be “right on top” of another part, it means that there is no other part in between. In addition, being “on” or “on” a standard part means being located above or below the standard part, and it necessarily means being “on” or “on” the direction opposite to gravity. no.

In addition, throughout the specification, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this means that it may further include other components rather than excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

In addition, throughout the specification, when referring to “on a plane,” this means when the target part is viewed from above, and when referring to “in cross-section,” this means when a cross section of the target portion is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the battery pack according to the present invention includes a cell module assembly 100, a pack case 300, and a fire extinguishing tank 400.

The cell module assembly 100 may include one or more battery cells 110. Here, each battery cell 110 may refer to a secondary battery. A secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. In particular, the battery cell 110 provided in the cell module assembly 100 may be a pouch-type secondary battery. However, other types of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries or prismatic batteries, may also be employed in the cell module assembly 100 of the present invention.

A plurality of secondary batteries may be stacked together to form the cell module assembly 100. That is, the battery cell stack can form the cell module assembly 100. For example, the plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in a vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing) and arranged in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). Each battery cell 110 may be provided with an electrode lead, and the electrode lead may be located at both ends of each battery cell 110 or at one end. A secondary battery with electrode leads protruding in both directions can be called a bidirectional cell, and a secondary battery with electrode leads protruding in one direction can be called a unidirectional cell. In Figure 1, a bidirectional cell is shown. However, the present invention is not limited by the specific type or form of the secondary battery, and various types of secondary batteries known at the time of filing of the present invention may be employed in the cell module assembly 100 of the present invention.

The pack case 300 may be configured to have an empty space formed therein to accommodate the cell module assembly 100 in the internal space. For example, the pack case 300 may be configured in a box shape as shown in FIG. 1. The box-shaped pack case 300 may be integrally molded or may be manufactured by combining at least one side with an adjacent side.

The fire extinguishing tank 400 can hold a fire extinguishing agent. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 has an internal space and can hold a fire extinguishing agent in the internal space. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may include a lower tank 410 and an upper cover 420, as shown in FIG. 1 . Here, the lower tank 410 is configured in the form of a box with an open top, and can provide a space where a fire extinguishing agent can be held. In addition, the upper cover 420 may be configured to cover the upper opening of the lower tank 410 and seal the fire extinguishing agent holding space of the lower tank 410.

The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be stored inside the pack case 300. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be disposed on the upper side of the cell module assembly 100 in the inner space of the pack case 300.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located on the upper side of the cell module assembly 100, so that the thermal event of the cell module assembly 100 can be more easily controlled. In particular, the fire extinguishing agent discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 can easily move downward by gravity. Accordingly, extinguishing heat or fire of the cell module assembly 100 using a fire extinguishing agent can be performed more easily.

In particular, when the cell module assembly 100 is provided with a plurality of battery cells 110 arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, that is, in the left and right direction (X-axis direction), as shown in FIG. 1, the cell module assembly 100 located at the top When the extinguishing agent is discharged from the extinguishing tank 400, the extinguishing agent can be easily supplied to the entire battery cell 110. Therefore, according to this implementation configuration, thermal event suppression for the entire cell module assembly 100 can be performed more effectively.

The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to discharge a fire extinguishing agent toward the cell module assembly 100 when heat is applied from the cell module assembly 100. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration in which a fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the battery pack of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, a fire extinguishing tank 400 is located at the top of the cell module assembly 100. A thermal event such as overheating, ignition, or thermal runaway in a specific battery cell 110, such as the portion indicated by A1, among a plurality of battery modules stacked in the left and right directions (e.g., the X-axis direction of the drawing). may occur. In this case, the heat generated in the corresponding battery cell 110 may be applied to the fire extinguishing tank 400, such as a portion indicated by A2 in FIG. 2. Then, the extinguishing agent may be discharged from the extinguishing tank 400, as indicated by arrow A3.

In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to be at least partially melted by heat applied from the cell module assembly 100. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 2, the portion indicated by A2 of the digestion tank 400 may be melted by heat. Then, through this molten portion, the extinguishing agent can be discharged, as indicated by arrow A3.

To this end, at least a portion of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made of a material that can be melted by heat applied from the cell module assembly 100. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be entirely made of plastic material. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be constructed in the form of a plastic injection molded product.

Additionally, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to be melted by venting gas or heat ejected from the battery cell 110. For example, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110 and venting gas is ejected, the venting gas may be at a high temperature above a certain temperature. The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made of a material and/or form that can be melted by the high-temperature venting gas. Alternatively, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110, the temperature of the battery cell 110 may be higher than the normal state even if the venting gas is not ejected. The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made of a material and/or form that can be melted by heat applied from the battery cell 110 in this abnormally high temperature state.

In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured so that the base plate 411 is melted by the high temperature of heat and/or gas generated during an event of the battery cell 110. In this case, the fire extinguishing agent may flow into the melted portion at the bottom of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and be discharged downward. Accordingly, the extinguishing agent can be quickly injected into the cell module assembly 100.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the fire extinguishing agent is injected in such a way that the injection molded product is melted, thereby effectively suppressing thermal events inside the battery pack, while minimizing the propagation of thermal events between battery cells 110.

The fire extinguishing tank 400 may hold a liquid fire extinguishing agent. In this case, the extinguishing agent may be referred to as digestive juice. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may hold water or other coolant as a fire extinguishing agent. Additionally, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can hold antifreeze as a fire extinguishing agent. In particular, when the battery pack is used in a season with low temperatures, such as winter, or in areas with low temperatures, such as polar regions, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may hold antifreeze, which does not easily freeze even at low temperatures, as a fire extinguishing agent. Moreover, in the case of a residential battery pack, since it may be located outdoors, antifreeze may be provided as a fire extinguishing agent.

The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured so that the thickness of the base plate 411 varies depending on the location. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 .

Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. However, in Figure 3, for convenience of explanation, some components are shown transparently. Additionally, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A4-A4' in FIG. 3. For various embodiments included in this specification, including this embodiment, detailed descriptions of parts that can be applied identically or similarly to parts described in other embodiments will be omitted, and the description will focus on parts where there are differences.

3 and 4, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may include a base plate 411 and a side wall 412. Here, the side wall 412 may be configured to protrude upward from the edge of the base plate 411. In addition, the bottom and sides of the fire extinguishing tank 400 are limited by the base plate 411 and the side wall 412, thereby forming a space in which the fire extinguishing agent can be held. At this time, the upper part of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be sealed by the pack case 300. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the pack case 300 has a lower case 300a and an upper case 300b, and the upper part of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is covered by the upper case 300b so that the fire extinguishing agent is It may be held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400. Alternatively, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to have an upper cover 420 to seal the upper part of the fire extinguishing agent holding space, as shown in FIG. 1 above.

In this way, in the configuration of the fire extinguishing tank 400 provided with the base plate 411, the base plate 411 may be formed to have different thicknesses for each part. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to have a thin thickness in certain parts, such as the part indicated by 411a in FIGS. 3 and 4. For example, the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured as an injection molded plastic product with an overall thickness of 1 mm, but the portion indicated by 411a may be configured to have a thickness of 0.5 mm.

In particular, a thinly formed portion of the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may function as a vulnerable portion 411a. That is, when the temperature rises in the cell module assembly 100, the vulnerable portion 411a may be damaged first. Also, if the vulnerable portion 411a is damaged, the fire extinguishing agent held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be discharged toward the cell module assembly 100 through the vulnerable portion 411a.

There may be a plurality of vulnerable portions 411a. For example, the vulnerable portion 411a may have a narrow width and a long length. That is, it may have a linear shape arranged parallel to one edge of the fire extinguishing tank 400, and each vulnerable portion 411a may be arranged parallel to each other.

According to the above implementation configuration, when venting gas or fire due to thermal runaway occurs on the cell module assembly 100 side, there is no need to separately prepare a structure for introducing a fire extinguishing agent such as coolant. Therefore, the fire extinguishing agent injection configuration inside the battery pack can be implemented with a simple structure. Furthermore, in this configuration, when an event occurs, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged through the thin vulnerable portion 411a, so the portion where the fire extinguishing agent is discharged can be designated in advance.

In the above implementation configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of vulnerable parts 411a may be provided in one fire extinguishing tank 400. Furthermore, the plurality of vulnerable portions 411a may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other along the stacking direction of the cell module assembly 100 on the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400. For example, in the cell module assembly 100, a plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in the left and right direction (X-axis direction), and the fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the top of the cell module assembly 100 In the base plate 411, a plurality of vulnerable parts may also be arranged in the left and right directions while being spaced apart from each other.

In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured so that the vulnerable portion 411a, which has a relatively thin thickness, is located in the central portion between cells stacked in the horizontal direction.

For example, in the configuration of FIG. 4, two battery cells 110, B1 and B2, are arranged adjacent to each other in the left and right directions on the left portion of the cell module assembly 100. At this time, the vulnerable portion 411a located on the leftmost side among the several vulnerable portions 411a may be disposed between B1 and B2 in the left and right directions. In other words, it can be said that the weak portion 411a is located above B1 and B2 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), but is located between B1 and B2 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction). Additionally, for battery cells 110 other than B1 and B2, one vulnerable portion 411a may be configured to be located in the space between two adjacent battery cells 110 in the horizontal direction.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell 110 and heat is applied to the vulnerable portion 411a located at the top, the vulnerable portion 411a may be damaged. Then, the extinguishing agent may be discharged through the damaged vulnerable portion 411a, and may flow into the space between adjacent battery cells 110, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4.

Therefore, according to this implementation configuration, transfer of thermal events between battery cells 110 can be more effectively prevented. In addition, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present invention, it is possible to intensively inject a fire extinguishing agent around the battery cell 110 where a thermal event such as overheating or ignition has occurred, so that more effective cooling and fire extinguishing operations can be performed. Therefore, according to the above implementation configuration, if a fire, etc. occurs inside the battery, it may be possible to inject a fire extinguishing agent at the right time and place without any other parts other than the fire extinguishing tank 400.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the battery pack includes a cell module assembly 100, a blocking member 200, a pack case 300, a fire extinguishing tank 400, an external cover 500, and an electrical connection unit 600. do.

In FIG. 5 , the cell module assembly 100 is configured such that the plurality of battery cells 110 are each erected in a vertical direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction in the drawing) and in the horizontal direction (e.g., the X-axis direction in the drawing). It can be stacked in a form arranged along. At this time, the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 is, for example, the Y-axis direction in the drawing.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cell module assembly 100 included in the battery pack of FIG. 5.

For reference, in order to more clearly illustrate the components included in the cell module assembly 100, FIG. 6 shows the remaining components excluding the plurality of battery cells 110. The plurality of battery cells 110 may be typical pouch-type battery cells or square-shaped battery cells.

Referring to FIG. 6, a pair of bus bar housings 130 are disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the stack of a plurality of battery cells 110. Each of the bus bar housings 130 is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (for example, the X-axis direction in the drawing).

A pair of end plates 120 are provided at both ends of the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110, respectively. The end plate 120 is arranged parallel to the battery cell 110. A pair of end plates 120 connect each pair of busbar housings 130.

Each of the upper and lower sides between the pair of end plates 120 may include at least one strap 140 connecting the pair of end plates 120. The strap 140 strengthens the binding of the cell module assembly 100. More specifically, it strengthens the bond between a pair of end plates 120 and a stack of a plurality of battery cells 110 disposed between them. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the alignment of the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110 from being misaligned.

In addition, since the description of the cell module assembly 100 overlaps with that described in FIG. 1, reference is made to what was described above in relation to FIG. 1.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of battery cells 110 may be grouped into a predetermined number and stored. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, a blocking member 200 is formed between a group of a plurality (a predetermined number) of battery cells 110 and an adjacent group of a plurality (a predetermined number) of battery cells 110. ) is provided.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the blocking member 200 included in the battery pack of Figure 5. The blocking member 200 may be interposed between adjacent battery cells 110 and configured to block heat. For example, when a thermal event occurs in some of the battery cells 110 and heat or high-temperature venting gas is generated, the generated heat or gas is transmitted to adjacent battery cells 110 by the blocking member 200. Metastasis can be suppressed or blocked. Additionally, the blocking member 200 may serve to block flames or sparks emitted from a specific battery cell 110.

The blocking member 200 has a substantially plate-shaped shape. The blocking member 200 may be configured in the form of a plate standing up and down. Moreover, the blocking member 200 may have a height that is the same as or similar to the height of the battery cell 110 standing vertically. The height of the blocking member 200 may be smaller or larger than the height of the battery cell 110.

The blocking member 200 may be included in plural pieces depending on the number of battery cells. And, as described above, the blocking member 200 can be stacked with the battery cells 110 to form the cell module assembly 100.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, in a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells 110, thermal runaway propagation between cells can be effectively prevented by the blocking member 200.

Additionally, the blocking member 200 may largely have a three-layer structure. For example, a pair of swelling pads 220 are provided on both sides of the support plate 210, respectively. The support plate 210 maintains the shape and rigidity of the blocking member 200 and blocks flames or sparks emitted from the battery cells 110 between the battery cells 110. The support plate 210 may be made of, for example, a metal material. The swelling pad 220 reduces the pressure applied to the battery cell 110 by the support plate 210 when the battery cell 110 is swelling. The swelling pad 220 may be made of, for example, silicone or soft plastic material.

Meanwhile, the support plate 210 includes a plurality of through holes 230 formed to penetrate the support plate 210 in the vertical direction, and the plurality of through holes 230 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the support plate 210. are arranged.

When fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing fluid) is introduced into the cell module assembly 100 from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the top of the cell module assembly 100, the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing fluid) also enters the plurality of through holes 230. That is, as the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) remains in the plurality of through holes 230, the battery cell 110 in which a thermal event occurs can be cooled and extinguished more effectively.

The plurality of through holes 230 may be open on both the upper and lower surfaces of the support plate 210. Alternatively, the plurality of through holes 230 may be open only at the top and closed at the bottom so that the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) can remain within the through holes 230 for a longer period of time. In the former case, if the support plate 210 of the blocking member 200 is placed in close contact with the inner lower surface of the pack case 300, the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) can stay in the through hole 230 for a long time as in the latter case. there is.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the pack case 300 included in the battery pack of Figure 5. FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating a case where the cell module assembly 100 of FIG. 8 is stored in the pack case 300.

Referring to FIG. 8, the pack case 300 may be configured in a box shape. The box-shaped pack case 300 may be integrally molded or may be manufactured by combining at least one side with an adjacent side.

The pack case 300 includes at least one venting hole 320. A filter is installed in the venting port 320.

When a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 110 stored inside the pack case 300, venting gas generated from the battery cell 110 may be discharged through the venting port 320. Venting gas discharged from the venting hole 320 may pass through the space between the pack case 300 and the outer cover 500 (see FIG. 5) and be discharged to the outside of the outer cover 500.

Additionally, the internal space of the pack case 300 largely includes two storage spaces based on the partition wall 380. One is a space (S1) in which the cell module assembly 100 is stored, and the other is a space (S2) in which an electrical connection unit including the connector 610 is stored.

As will be described later, the space S2 on the bottom of the pack case 300 has a connector box into which the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the lower layer can be inserted for electrical connection between the battery packs stacked on top and bottom. Includes study (370). Accordingly, the connector 610 of the corresponding battery pack and the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the lower layer are connected to each other. Similarly, in the same manner, the connector 610 of the battery pack is connected to the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the upper layer.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cell module assembly 100 shown in FIG. 6 may be stored in the inner space of the auxiliary case 310 and then mounted on the pack case 300. By first storing the cell module assembly 100 in the inner space of the auxiliary case 310 and then finally storing it in the pack case 300, the rigidity of the cell module assembly 100 is supplemented, and the cell module assembly 100 It is possible to prevent the alignment of the plurality of battery cells 110 stacked from being misaligned. The auxiliary case 310 may be made of metal or stainless steel, for example.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the pack case 300 of FIG. 8. 12 and 13 are partially enlarged views of the pack case 300. For reference, FIGS. 11 to 13 exclude the auxiliary case 310 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

First, condensation may occur in the internal space of the pack case 300 due to condensation. In some cases, moisture due to snow or rain may flow into the inside of the pack case 300, condense, turn into water, and exist in the internal space of the pack case 300. If water in the inner space of the pack case 300 accumulates on the bottom of the pack case 300 due to gravity, it may affect the performance of the battery cells or electrical connection unit 600 stored inside the pack case 300. You can. In order to prevent this problem, the embodiment of the present invention includes the following configurations.

As shown in FIG. 11, the bottom surface of the pack case 300 includes a plurality of inclined portions 330. FIG. 12 shows the inclined portion 330 in an enlarged scale. The plurality of inclined portions 330 have a shape that protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the pack case 300. That is, the inclined portion 330 of the bottom surface of the pack case 300 is higher than other parts of the bottom surface of the pack case 300. A first drainage channel 340 is disposed between the plurality of slopes 330. The first drainage channel 340 has a height equal to or lower than the edge of the inclined portion 300. The height of the first drainage channel 340 may decrease from the center to the edge of the bottom surface of the pack case 300. Alternatively, the height of the first drainage channel 340 may be flat overall.

In addition, a second drainage channel 340 is formed along the edge of the bottom surface of the pack case 300 in the longitudinal direction (for example, the Y-axis direction in the drawing) and/or along the edge in the width direction (for example, in the X-axis direction in the drawing). may be placed additionally. The first drain 340 and the second drain 340 are connected to each other. The first drainage channel 340 has the same or higher height than the second drainage channel 340. In addition, the height of the bottom of the drain 360, which will be described later, is the same or lower than each of the first drain 340 and the second drain 340. The drain 360 may, for example, have a tapered shape (a cone or square pyramid shape with the top cut out).

The water in the internal space of the pack case 300 flows into the first drainage channel 340 along the slope 330 of the bottom surface of the pack case 300, and then is disposed at the edge of the bottom surface of the pack case 300. It is discharged to the outside through the drain hole 360. Alternatively, the water that flows into the first drain 340 moves along the second drain 340 and is discharged to the outside through the drain 360.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inclined portion 330 includes an uppermost surface 331 located at the center of the inclined portion 330 and an inclined surface 332 formed radially around the uppermost surface 331. The cell module assembly 100 is seated on the top surface 331. The cell module assembly 100 may be seated in direct contact with the top surface 331. Meanwhile, as will be described later, when the cell module assembly 100 is stored in the auxiliary case 310, the auxiliary case 310 containing the cell module assembly 100 is in direct contact with the top surface 331. It may settle down. The top surface 331 may be circular, as shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any shape on which the cell module assembly 100 can be seated and supported is sufficient.

As shown in the cross section along line A6-A6' of FIG. 13, the height of the inclined surface 332 decreases from the uppermost surface 331 to the edge of the inclined portion 330. The inclined surface 332 is formed radially with respect to the center of the inclined portion 330 (for example, the uppermost surface 331). It may be arranged equiangularly based on the center of each radially formed inclined portion 330.

Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of inclined portions 330 are provided. The plurality of inclined portions 330 are arranged in a row along the longitudinal and width directions of the bottom surface of the pack case 300, respectively. They are arranged in a so-called grid (checkerboard). The first drainage channel 340 disposed between the inclined portions 330 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal edge and/or the widthwise edge of the bottom surface of the pack case 300.

Additionally, the pack case 300 includes at least one drain hole 360 at an edge of the bottom surface. That is, the pack case 300 may include one drain hole 360. Alternatively, the pack case 300 may include a plurality of drain holes 360 arranged in a row or on all four sides of the front, rear, left, and right of the pack case 300. The location and number of drains 360 can be modified and changed to suit various environments in which the present invention is implemented.

Figure 13 shows an enlarged cross-section of the drain hole 360 when the pack case 300 is viewed from the front. The cross-sectional size of the drain hole 360 increases as it moves from the inside to the outside of the pack case 300. For example, when the drain 360 is conical, the inner diameter of the cross section of the drain 360 increases from the inside to the outside of the pack case 300. At this time, the bottom of the drain hole 360 is inclined from the inside to the outside of the pack case 300 and its height decreases. Accordingly, water inside the pack case 300 can be smoothly discharged to the outside through the drain hole 360.

Meanwhile, referring again to FIGS. 9 and 10, in order to protect the battery cells and facilitate storage, the cell module assembly 100 is stored in the auxiliary case 310 and then stored together with the auxiliary case 310. It can be stored in the pack case 300 again. At this time, the auxiliary case 310 also includes at least one opening 310a on the bottom surface and/or the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary case 310. FIG. 10 shows a case where an opening 310a is provided at the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary case 310. More specifically, the opening 310a may be provided in the bottom surface of the auxiliary case 310, may be arranged along the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary case 310, or may be located along the edge of the bottom surface of the auxiliary case 310. It can also be placed in a corner. If water also forms inside the auxiliary case 310, the water is drained to the outside of the auxiliary case 310 through the opening 310a. As described above, the water discharged to the outside of the auxiliary case 310 flows through the inclined portion 330 and/or the first drain 340 and/or the second drain 350 of the pack case 300. Next, it is discharged to the outside of the battery pack through the drain 360.

Additionally, the shape of the bottom surface of the auxiliary case 310 may be flat as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. However, the present invention is not limited to what is shown, and various modifications and changes are possible. For example, the bottom of the auxiliary case 310 has the same shape and structure as the inclined portion 330 and/or the first drain 340 and/or the second drain 350, like the bottom of the pack case 300. It may also contain components.

Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it includes a thermal expansion member 360a provided in the drain hole 360 of the pack case 300. Figures 14 and 15 each show embodiments of thermal expandable member 360a. FIG. 14 shows a case where the thermal expansion member 360a is disposed in contact with all or part of the inner surface of the drain hole 360. FIG. 15 shows a case where the thermal expansion member 360a is disposed at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the drain hole 360.

FIG. 14 shows a case where the thermal expansion member 360a is disposed in contact with all or part of the inner surface of the drain hole 360. The thermal expansion member 360a may surround the entire inner surface of the drain hole 360, or the thermal expansion member 360a may be disposed only on a portion of the inner surface of the drain hole 360. That is, as will be described later, if a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the cell module assembly 100, it is sufficient for the thermal expansion member 360a to effectively seal the drain 360.

FIG. 15 shows a case where the thermal expansion member 360a is disposed at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the drain hole 360. In this case, a thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b crossing the cross section of the drain 360 is additionally provided. In Figure 15, the drain 360 and the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b crossing it are shown in cross section as seen from the entrance of the drain 360.

For example, a groove may be provided on at least one end of the thermal expansion member 360a, and the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b may be bar-shaped. The thermal expansion member 360a can be arranged at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the drain 360 by fixing the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b to the groove of the thermal expansion member 360a. When looking at a cross section of the drain hole 360, for example, the inner surface of the drain hole 360 and the thermal expansion member 360a may be arranged coaxially.

Meanwhile, the thermal expansion member 360a may have a pin shape disposed along the path 360 of the drain, for example. Although FIG. 15 shows a case where the thermal expansion member 360a is exemplarily formed in a fin shape, the present invention is not limited to this, and if a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the cell module assembly 100, the thermal expansion member 360a is effectively Any structure or shape that can seal the drain 360 is sufficient.

In addition, in the case of FIG. 15, a case where a thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b is provided at the inlet of the drain 360 (inside the pack case 300) is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the drain 360 It may be provided in the path of, and the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b may be provided at the outlet of the drain 360 (outside the pack case 300). That is, the shape, position, and structure of the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b are sufficient as long as they allow the thermal expansion member 360a to be positioned in the drain hole 360 without the thermal expansion member coupling portion 360b blocking the drain hole 360. do.

The thermal expansion member 360a is configured to expand in volume above a predetermined temperature to seal the drain 360. When a fire or thermal runaway occurs in the cell module assembly 100, the thermal expansion member 360a expands in volume due to high-temperature gas, and the volume-expanded thermal expansion member 360a may seal the drain 360. When supplying a fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) from a fire extinguishing unit (e.g., a fire fighting tank 400 located at the top of the cell module assembly 100) into the pack case 300, a thermal expansion member 360a seals the drain hole 360. ), the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) is not discharged to the outside of the pack case 300 through the drain hole 360. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) can remain in the cell module assembly 100 inside the pack case 300 for a long time. In other words, fire or thermal runaway of the cell module assembly 100 can be suppressed more reliably.

Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above-described fire extinguishing tank 400, and can be applied to any fire extinguishing unit that can supply fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) into the pack case 300. For example, it is possible that the fire extinguishing unit is located outside the pack case 300 and supplies fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) into the pack case 300 through a pipe connected from the fire extinguishing unit. Alternatively, for example, it is possible to supply a fire extinguishing agent (extinguishing liquid) into the pack case 300 when a thermal event occurs as a cooling plate structure located at the top or bottom of the pack case 300. The present invention is not limited to the above-described fire extinguishing unit, and can be applied through various changes and modifications to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented.

To this end, the thermal expansion member 360a may be provided with various thermal expansion materials known at the time of filing of the present invention. For example, the thermal expansion member 360a may be made of a polymer material with a high thermal expansion coefficient. PDMS (Poly-Di-Methyl-Siloxane), polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, butyl (meth)acrylate, hexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, 2- It may be configured to be thermally expandable by using a polymer material such as ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, or a combination thereof.

Additionally, the thermal expansion member 360a may additionally include a heat-resistant material. For example, the outer surface of the thermal expansion member 360a may be coated with a heat-resistant material such as ceramic. Alternatively, the thermal expansion member 360a may be provided with a core of a heat-resistant material such as ceramic, which is provided along the longitudinal direction of the thermal expansion member 360a. For example, the thermal expansion member 360a may surround the core of the heat-resistant material. You can. Accordingly, it can be configured so that the volume expands due to the heat of the venting gas but is not damaged.

The thermal expansion of the thermal expansion member 360a may be appropriately set depending on the type or thermal expansion coefficient of the thermal expansion material included in the thermal expansion member 360a. Additionally, the degree of thermal expansion of the thermal expansion member 360a can be appropriately set by the user according to various conditions such as the size or shape of the thermal expansion member 360a or the drain hole 360 and the type of battery cell.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the fire extinguishing tank 400 included in the battery pack of Figure 5. FIG. 17 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the fire extinguishing tank 400 of FIG. 16 and shows a cross-section along line A5-A5' of FIG. 5.

As described above in FIG. 1, the fire extinguishing tank 400 includes a lower tank 410 and an upper cover 420. The lower tank 410 and the upper cover 420 may be manufactured separately and sealed together, or may be manufactured as one piece. The upper cover 420 may additionally include an injection port 430 through which a fire extinguishing agent can be injected. The fire extinguishing tank 400 can be sealed by closing the injection port 430 with a stopper.

A thinly formed portion of the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 may function as a vulnerable portion 411a. That is, when a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 110 of the cell module assembly 100, the relatively thin vulnerable portion 411a may be damaged first. When the vulnerable portion 411a is damaged and an opening is formed in the base plate 411, the fire extinguishing agent held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be discharged toward the cell module assembly 100 through the vulnerable portion 411a.

There may be a plurality of vulnerable portions 411a. For example, the vulnerable portion 411a may have a narrow width and a long length. That is, it may have a linear shape arranged parallel to one edge of the fire extinguishing tank 400, and each vulnerable portion 411a may be arranged parallel to each other.

Meanwhile, according to this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (e.g., the X-axis direction in the drawing) and the longitudinal direction of the vulnerable portion 411a (e.g., the You can. That is, a plurality of vulnerable portions 411a are arranged to intersect in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110. Accordingly, along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 where a thermal event occurred, the fire extinguishing agent can be supplied simultaneously through the plurality of open weak portions 411a throughout the battery cell 110, and the thermal event can be more efficiently and quickly dissipated. The battery cell 110 in which an event occurred can be extinguished.

The lower surface of the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the upper surface of the cell module assembly 100 have shapes that generally match each other. Accordingly, since the fire extinguishing tank 400 is placed in closer contact with the cell module assembly 100, it is possible to more effectively cool the battery cells 110 whose temperature rises, and to prevent overheating or ignition of the battery cells 110. The fire extinguishing agent can be administered more quickly. Additionally, it is possible to efficiently accommodate more fire extinguishing agents in the fire extinguishing tank 400. That is, if the overall height of the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is constant, the fire extinguishing tank 400 accommodates less fire extinguishing agent by the corresponding empty space.

The fire extinguishing agent provided in the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be, for example, in the form of fire extinguishing liquid. Redundant description will be omitted and the above description will be referred to.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a battery pack in which all components of the battery pack described above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 17 are combined.

In addition, for parts where the description of the battery pack in FIGS. 5 to 18 overlaps with the description of the battery pack in FIGS. 1 to 4, refer to what is described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

Meanwhile, the pack case 300 may be provided in plural pieces and configured to be stacked in the vertical direction. This will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 19.

Figure 19 is a perspective view schematically showing at least a partial configuration of the battery pack of Figures 1 to 18 of the present invention. Additionally, FIGS. 20 and 21 are diagrams showing an embodiment in which a plurality of pack cases 300 shown in FIG. 19 are stacked.

Referring to FIG. 19, the pack case 300 may include a bottom portion and a side wall portion. The cell module assembly 100 can be accommodated in the inner space of the pack case 300, and a battery pack is formed by covering the upper surface of the cell module assembly 100 with the fire extinguishing tank 400. For reference, in Figure 19, the height of the upper side of the pack case 300 is shown to be larger than the height of the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400. However, Figure 19 is a schematic diagram and is only an example, and the present invention is shown in Figure 19. It is not limited to what is shown. That is, on the contrary, the height of the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be greater than the height of the upper side of the pack case 300, and the height of the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the upper side of the pack case 300 may be greater than the height of the upper side of the pack case 300. Various variations are possible, such as the height being the same.

A plurality of pack cases 300 as shown in FIG. 19 may be provided to form a stacked structure of battery packs as shown in FIG. 20 or FIG. 21 . At this time, the battery pack in FIG. 19 may be one unit pack. And, by providing a plurality of such unit packs, a module-stacked overall battery pack as shown in FIG. 20 or FIG. 21 can be configured.

More specifically, for example, in the configuration of FIG. 20, three unit packs D are shown stacked in the vertical direction. And, in the configuration of FIG. 21, five unit packs D are shown stacked in the vertical direction. The present invention is not limited to what is shown, and can be implemented by changing the number of unit packs (D) in various ways to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented.

For example, when the present invention is implemented as a battery pack as an energy storage system (ESS), various voltage bands and/or storage capacities of the energy storage device can be implemented to suit the environment by adjusting the number of unit battery packs. You can. According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, one unit pack having a common structure can be stacked in various ways, enabling products with various voltage bands and/or storage capacities depending on the number of stacks. For example, by adjusting the number of stacks of the same unit pack, it may be possible to implement both a low-pressure band product as shown in FIG. 20 and a high-pressure band product as shown in FIG. 21. Therefore, compared to products limited to specifications of a specific voltage band, economic efficiency and compatibility can be improved. Additionally, with this implementation configuration, products with various capacities can be implemented depending on the number of stacks.

In other words, if stacked unit packs are connected in series, products with various voltage bands can be implemented depending on the number of stacks. In addition, when stacked unit packs are connected in parallel, products with various capacities (storage capacity) can be implemented depending on the number of stacks.

In particular, each unit pack D may have a cell module assembly 100 therein. Additionally, as described above, each unit pack D includes a connector 610 so that each cell module assembly 100 can be electrically connected to each other when stacked. In particular, these connectors 610 may be configured to be coupled to each other due to the vertical stacking of each unit pack D.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned configuration, each unit pack D may contain a fire extinguishing tank 400 along with a cell module assembly 100. That is, each unit pack D includes a fire extinguishing tank 400 at the top of the cell module assembly 100, as described above. The plurality of stacked battery packs, from top to bottom, have a stacked structure of fire extinguishing tank 400 - cell module assembly 100 - fire fighting tank 400 - cell module assembly 100. The stacked battery pack of the present invention having this structure can construct a battery pack by increasing (expanding) the number of cell module assemblies 100 to increase various voltage bands and/or storage capacity. It was designed to safely prepare for thermal events such as fire in the assembly 100. Therefore, according to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the safety of the battery pack can be further improved.

As another example of a coupling method between battery packs (pack case 300) stacked up and down, referring again to FIG. 19, it is as follows. At the top of the side wall portion of the pack case 300, there may be a step formed concavely inward, such as a step portion C1 for coupling. For example, the side wall of the pack case 300 becomes thin. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 19, a coupling recess may be formed in the bottom of the pack case 300 so that the coupling step C1 of the side wall part can be inserted. That is, when the pack case 300 stacks different pack cases 300 in the vertical direction, the coupling step C1 formed at the top of the side wall of the lower pack case 300 is formed on the upper pack case 300. ) may be configured to be inserted into a coupling recess formed at the bottom of the. Accordingly, when the plurality of pack cases 300 are stacked and combined in the vertical direction, the outer surface of the pack case 300 may have an overall flat shape.

Meanwhile, the coupling method for the fastening structure between the battery packs stacked up and down is not limited to that shown in FIG. 19 and/or FIG. 8, and various other coupling methods can be modified or changed and applied to the present invention.

Additionally, the battery packs of the present invention can be connected to a battery management system (BMS, not shown). The battery management system monitors and manages the battery pack(s). The battery management system may be located on the top layer of battery packs stacked top and bottom. However, the location of the battery management system is not limited to the above, and can be modified and changed in various ways to suit the method or environment in which the present invention is implemented.

The battery pack according to the present invention may further include various other components included in the battery pack, in addition to the components described above. For example, the battery pack according to the present invention may include various electrical components for controlling or managing charging and discharging of the battery pack, such as a battery management system (BMS), relays, fuses, and current sensors.

An energy storage system (ESS) according to the present invention includes one or more battery packs according to the present invention described above. In addition, the energy storage device according to the present invention may further include general components included in energy storage devices in addition to the battery pack.

Meanwhile, in this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right 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 of the invention.

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.

100: Cell module assembly
110: battery cell
120: end plate
130: Busbar housing
140: Strap
200: blocking member
210: support plate
220: swelling pad
230: Through hole
300: pack case
300a: lower case
300b: upper case
310: Auxiliary case
310: opening
320: Bentingu
330: inclined portion
340: first drainage channel
350: Second drainage channel
360: drain
360a: absence of thermal expansion
360b: thermal expansion member coupling portion
370: Connector through hole
380: partition wall
400: fire extinguishing tank
410: lower tank
411: base plate
411a: vulnerable part
412: side wall
420: Top cover
430: Inlet
500: outer cover
600: Electrical connection unit
610: connector

Claims (17)

A cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked;
a pack case storing the cell module assembly in an internal space; and
A fire extinguishing unit capable of extinguishing the battery cell by supplying a fire extinguishing agent into the pack case when a thermal event of the battery cell occurs,
The pack case includes at least one drain on at least one of a longitudinal edge and a widthwise edge of the bottom surface of the pack case,
The battery pack, wherein the drain hole includes a thermal expansion member whose volume expands above a predetermined temperature to seal the drain hole.
According to paragraph 1,
The thermal expansion member is disposed at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the drain,
The battery pack further comprising a thermal expansion member coupling portion disposed across a cross section of the drain to secure the thermal expansion member.
According to paragraph 2,
A groove is provided on at least one end of the thermal expansion member,
The thermal expansion member coupling portion is bar-shaped,
A battery pack in which the thermal expansion member coupling portion is fixedly coupled to the groove of the thermal expansion member.
According to paragraph 1,
The battery pack, wherein the thermal expansion member coupling portion is disposed at at least one of an inlet and an outlet of the drain.
According to paragraph 1,
The thermal expansion member is a battery pack having a pin shape disposed along the path of the drain.
According to paragraph 1,
The battery pack, wherein the thermal expansion member and the inner surface of the drain hole are coaxially arranged.
According to paragraph 1,
The battery pack, wherein the thermal expansion member contacts and surrounds at least a portion of the inner surface of the drain hole.
According to paragraph 1,
A battery pack in which the thermal expansion member is made of a polymer material.
According to clause 8,
The thermal expansion member is PDMS (Poly-Di-Methyl-Siloxane), polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, butyl (meth)acrylate, hexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate. A battery pack that is any one selected from the group consisting of latex, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, and combinations thereof.
According to paragraph 1,
The thermal expansion member is a battery pack including a core of a heat-resistant material located inside the thermal expansion member along the longitudinal direction of the thermal expansion member.
According to paragraph 1,
The battery pack wherein the fire extinguishing unit is a fire extinguishing tank located above the cell module assembly and covering the pack case.
According to paragraph 1,
The fire extinguishing agent is a liquid fire extinguishing agent, a battery pack.
According to paragraph 1,
The battery pack is provided in plural pieces,
A battery pack in which the plurality of battery packs are connected to each other through mechanical or electrical connection.
According to clause 13,
A battery pack in which the plurality of battery packs can be stacked in a vertical direction.
According to clause 13,
A battery pack in which the electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs is connected in series so that the voltage ranges of the plurality of battery packs are implemented in various ways.
According to clause 13,
A battery pack in which electrical connections between the plurality of battery packs are connected in parallel so that the storage capacity of the plurality of battery packs can be implemented in various ways.
An energy storage device comprising the battery pack according to claim 1.