JP2024008590A - battery pack structure - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack structure that can suppress overheating of a battery cell adjacent to a battery cell that has abnormally generated heat while suppressing the increase in size. The battery pack structure of the present invention includes a battery stack in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction, and a pack case that houses the battery stack inside. A highly thermally conductive member extending in the direction and in contact with each of the plurality of battery cells was provided. [Selection diagram] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a battery pack structure.

The battery module described in Patent Document 1 includes a battery stack including a plurality of stacked battery cells, a heat conduction suppressing member disposed between two adjacent battery cells, and a battery stack that extends in the stacking direction of the battery cells. a heat-conducting member that is present and adjacent to the battery stack; and a heat-absorbing member that is interposed between the battery stack and the heat-conducting member and contains an endothermic agent that starts an endothermic reaction at a predetermined temperature or higher. .

International Publication No. 2019/058937

However, in the battery module described in Patent Document 1, a thermal conduction suppressing member is disposed between two adjacent battery cells to suppress the increase in the size of the battery stack and, in turn, the battery module. There is room for improvement in suppressing overheating of adjacent battery cells.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a battery pack structure that can suppress overheating of battery cells adjacent to abnormally heated battery cells while suppressing the increase in size. That's true.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objects, a battery pack structure according to the present invention includes a battery stack in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction, and a pack case that houses the battery stack therein. A battery pack structure comprising: a highly thermally conductive member extending in the arrangement direction and in contact with each of the plurality of battery cells.

The battery pack structure according to the present invention has the effect of suppressing overheating of battery cells adjacent to a battery cell that has abnormally generated heat while suppressing the increase in size.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of main parts of a battery pack according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of main parts of a battery pack according to a second embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
A first embodiment (Embodiment 1) of a battery pack, which is an embodiment of a battery pack structure according to the present invention, will be described below. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The shapes, quantities, materials, etc. described below are examples for explanation, and can be changed depending on the specifications of the battery pack. Although a case will be described below in which the battery pack is mounted on a vehicle, the battery pack is not limited to a configuration used for such applications.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of main parts of a battery pack 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 1 includes a pack case 2, a battery stack 3, a high heat conductive member 4, and the like.

The battery stack 3 has a plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f, and the plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f are arranged in line in the arrangement direction. In the following description, if the plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f are not particularly distinguished, they are also simply referred to as battery cells 31. The plurality of battery cells 31 are electrically connected in series via a bus bar (not shown) or the like. The battery cell 31 is a lithium ion secondary battery, a nickel hydride secondary battery, or the like. The battery stack 3 is housed inside the pack case 2, and is placed on the bottom of the pack case 2 in the height direction with a high heat conductive member 4 interposed therebetween.

The high heat conductive member 4 is, for example, a graphite sheet, and is provided so as to extend in the arrangement direction and come into contact with the bottom surface of each of the plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f. .

In the battery pack 1 according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the heat generated by the abnormally heated battery cell 31a (abnormally heated battery cell) is transferred from the bottom surface of the battery cell 31a through the high heat conductive member 4. , and can be transmitted and dispersed to other battery cells 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f of the battery stack 3. As a result, the thermal conduction suppressing member is disposed between adjacent battery cells 31 to suppress the battery stack 3 and hence the battery pack 1 from increasing in size, while heat is transferred from the side surface of the battery cell 31a that has abnormally generated heat to the battery cell 31b. (adjacent battery cells) can be suppressed from overheating.

In addition, in the battery pack 1 according to the first embodiment, by arranging the high heat conductive member 4 as close to the plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f as possible, the abnormal heat generated by the battery cell 31a is reduced. The heat dispersion effect can be enhanced.

(Embodiment 2)
A second embodiment (Embodiment 2) of a battery pack, which is an embodiment of the battery pack structure according to the present invention, will be described below. Note that the description of the contents in the second embodiment that are common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of main parts of the battery pack 1 according to the second embodiment. In the battery pack 1 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, heat insulating materials 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, and 32e are arranged between adjacent battery cells 31, respectively. That is, the heat insulating material 32a is arranged between the battery cells 31a and the battery cells 31b so as to be in contact with the respective side surfaces in the arrangement direction. Moreover, a heat insulating material 32b is arranged between the battery cells 31b and the battery cells 31c so as to be in contact with the side surfaces of each in the arrangement direction. Further, a heat insulating material 32c is arranged between the battery cells 31c and 31d so as to be in contact with the side surfaces of each in the arrangement direction. Further, a heat insulating material 32d is arranged between the battery cells 31d and the battery cells 31e so as to be in contact with the respective side surfaces in the arrangement direction. Further, a heat insulating material 32e is arranged between the battery cells 31e and 31f so as to be in contact with the side surfaces of each in the arrangement direction. In addition, in the following description, when each heat insulating material 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e is not distinguished in particular, it is also simply written as the heat insulating material 32.

In the battery pack 1 according to the second embodiment, a cooler 6 made of a metal material such as aluminum is provided at the bottom of the pack case 2. A plurality of heat transfer members 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e are mounted on the upper surface of the cooler 6, on which a plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, 31f are placed, respectively, via a high heat conduction member 4. , 5f are provided. Thereby, the heat of each battery cell 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, 31f is transmitted to the cooler 6 via the high heat conduction member 4 and each heat transfer member 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f. The battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f are cooled.

In the battery pack 1 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, heat is prevented from being transferred from the side surface of the battery cell 31a (abnormally heat generating battery cell) to the battery cell 31b (adjacent battery cell). This can be suppressed by the heat insulating material 32a. Furthermore, in the battery pack 1 according to the second embodiment, the heat generated by the abnormally heated battery cell 31a is transferred from the bottom surface of the battery cell 31a to the other battery cells 31b, 31c, 31d of the battery stack 3 through the high heat conductive member 4. , 31e, 31f and can be dispersed. Thereby, the thickness of the heat insulating material 32 can be reduced more than when the heat insulating material 32 is arranged between the battery cells 31 without providing the high heat conductive member 4. Therefore, since the thickness of the heat insulating material 32 can be suppressed, it is possible to suppress the battery stack 3 and eventually the battery pack 1 from increasing in size, and to suppress overheating of the battery cell 31b adjacent to the battery cell 31a which has abnormally generated heat. can.

Moreover, in the battery pack 1 according to the second embodiment, by equalizing the temperature difference between the plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, 31f, the plurality of battery cells 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, Deterioration variations due to temperature variations in 31e and 31f are reduced, and SOC estimation speed can be improved.

1 Battery pack, 2 Pack case, 3 Battery stack, 4 High thermal conductivity member, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f Heat transfer member, 6 Cooler, 31, 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, 31f Battery Cell, 32, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e Insulating material.

Claims (1)

A battery stack in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction;
a pack case that houses the battery stack therein;
A battery pack structure comprising:
A battery pack structure comprising: a highly thermally conductive member extending in the arrangement direction and in contact with each of the plurality of battery cells.

Images