BATTERY MODULE HAVING EXCELLENT HEAT DISSIPATION ABILITY AND BATTERY PACK EMPLOYED WITH THE SAME

• US 20110059347A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin Kyu, Yeo, Jaeseong, Yoon, Hee Soo, Lee, BumHyun, Kang, Dal Mo
• Granted Patent: US 9,203,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0029 Heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/00 Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements specially adapted for movement F28F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 : with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a battery module including a plurality of plate-shaped battery cells mounted in a module case in a state in which the plate-shaped battery cells are sequentially stacked, wherein each of the plate-shaped battery cells includes an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure mounted in a battery case formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and a plurality of heat dissipation members are disposed in two or more interfaces between the respective plate-shaped battery cells such that heat generated from the plate-shaped battery cells during charge and discharge of the plate-shaped battery cells is removed by thermal conduction through the heat dissipation members.

Claims

1. A battery module including a plurality of plate-shaped battery cells mounted in a module case in a state in which the plate-shaped battery cells are sequentially stacked, wherein each of the plate-shaped battery cells includes an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure mounted in a battery case formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and a plurality of heat dissipation members are disposed in two or more interfaces between the respective plate-shaped battery cells such that heat generated from the plate-shaped battery cells during charge and discharge of the plate-shaped battery cells is removed by thermal conduction through the heat dissipation members.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein an air cooling type heat exchange member is mounted at one side of the battery cell stack for integrally connecting the heat dissipation members to each other such that heat generated from the plate-shaped battery cells during charge and discharge of the plate-shaped battery cells is removed by thermal conduction through the air cooling type heat exchange member via the heat dissipation members.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the laminate sheet is configured in a structure including an inner resin layer, which is thermally weldable, an isolation metal layer, and an outer resin layer.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the battery cells is mounted in a battery cartridge configured in a frame structure.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein the battery cathidge includes at least one pair of plate-shaped frames for fixing an outer circumference of a corresponding one of the battery cells in a state in which at least one major surface of the corresponding one of the battery cells is exposed, and the frames are provided at outsides thereof with elastic pressing members for fixing the heat dissipation members to the exposed major surface of the corresponding one of the battery cells in a tight contact manner.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the elastic pressing members are provided at upper and lower ends and/or left and right sides of the frames.

7. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein each of the battery cells is mounted between the frames in a state in which the exposed major surface of each of the battery cells protrudes outward from a corresponding one of the frames, and the elastic pressing members are provided at the outsides of the frames in a state in which the elastic pressing members have a greater height than a protruding height of each of the battery cells at the exposed major surface thereof.

8. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein each of the elastic pressing members includes a polymer resin exhibiting high elastic pressing force when the polymer resin is pressed.

9. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the frames are provided at the outsides thereof with grooves, in which the elastic pressing members are mounted.

10. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation members have a thermal conductivity of 20 to 500 W/(m.K).

11. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member has a thermal conductivity of 20 to 500 W/(m.K).

12. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the heat dissipation members are disposed in the interfaces between the battery cells in a state in which at least a portion of each of the heat dissipation members is exposed outward from the stacked battery cells, and the outwardly exposed portions of the heat dissipation members are bent in a lateral direction of the battery cells.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member is mounted at tops of the bent portions of the heat dissipation members.

14. The battery module according to claim 13, wherein a thermal interface material is provided between the tops of the bent portions of the heat dissipation members and the air cooling type heat exchange member.

15. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the thermal interface material includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a thermally conductive grease, a thermally conductive epoxy-based bond, a thermally conductive silicone pad, a thermally conductive adhesive tape, and a graphite sheet.

16. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member includes a bottom part, at a lower end surface of which the heat dissipation members are disposed in a tight contact manner, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins extending upward from the bottom part.

17. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein the heat dissipation fins of the air cooling type heat exchange member extend upward from the bottom part in a longitudinal direction of the air cooling type heat exchange member.

18. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein the heat dissipation fins of the air cooling type heat exchange member extend upward from the bottom part in a lateral direction of the air cooling type heat exchange member.

19. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member has a surface area equivalent to 7 to 15 times a surface area of each of the battery cells.

20. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member has a length equivalent to 30 to 70% of a length of the battery cell stack.

21. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member has a width equivalent to 50 to 120% of a width of the battery cell stack.

22. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member has a height equivalent to 20 to 50% of a height of the battery cell stack.

23. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member is mounted to a top or a bottom of the module case.

24. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the module case is provided at an upper end thereof with a depression having a size sufficient to receive the air cooling type heat exchange member, and the air cooling type heat exchange member has a height equal to or less than a height of a top of the module case when the air cooling type heat exchange member is mounted in the depression.

29. A battery pack including two or more battery modules according to claim 1.

30. The battery pack according to claim 29, wherein the battery pack is used as a power source for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

25. A battery module including a plurality of prismatic battery cells mounted in a module case in a state in which the plate-shaped battery cells are sequentially stacked, wherein each of the prismatic battery cells includes an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure disposed in a prismatic container together with an electrolyte in a hermetically sealed manner, and a plurality of heat dissipation members are disposed in two or more interfaces between the respective prismatic battery cells such that heat generated from the prismatic battery cells during charge and discharge of the prismatic battery cells is removed by thermal conduction through the heat dissipation members.

26. The battery module according to claim 25, wherein an air cooling type heat exchange member is mounted at one side of the battery cell stack for integrally connecting the heat dissipation members to each other such that heat generated from the prismatic battery cells during charge and discharge of the prismatic battery cells is removed by thermal conduction through the air cooling type heat exchange member via the heat dissipation members.

27. A cooling device including two or more heat dissipation members disposed in interfaces between battery cells and an air cooling type heat exchange member mounted to corresponding sides of the heat dissipation members for removing heat transmitted from the heat dissipation members.

28. The cooling device according to claim 27, wherein the air cooling type heat exchange member is configured in a structure including a bottom part, at a lower end surface of which the heat dissipation members are disposed in a tight contact manner, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins extending upward from the bottom part.