BATTERY MODULE

• US 20140050953A1
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriman, Robert, Yang, Heekook, Yoon, Jongmoon
• Granted Patent: US 9,960,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/82
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/30 Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
• 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

Abstract

A battery module having a first battery cell; a frame member having first and second sides and first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls; and first and second thermally conductive plate members is provided. A plurality of flow channels are formed by the first and second thermally conductive plates. The third peripheral wall has a first outlet that receives the first electrical terminal of the first battery cell therethrough, such that if the first battery cell outputs gases therefrom the first outlet routes the gases from the first battery cell to outside of the frame member such that the gases are isolated from the air flowing through the plurality of flow channels.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a first battery cell having first and second electrical terminals;

a frame member having first and second sides, first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls, and first and second thermally conductive plate members;

the first side of the frame member being disposed against the first battery cell;

the first and second peripheral walls being generally parallel to one another and being disposed between and coupled to the third and fourth peripheral walls;

the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls defining an open interior region therebetween;

the first thermally conductive plate being coupled to the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls to enclose the open interior region proximate to the first side of the frame member, the first thermally conductive plate being disposed against the first battery cell;

the second thermally conductive plate being coupled to the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls to enclose the open interior region proximate to the second side of the frame member such that a plurality of flow channels are formed by the first and second thermally conductive plates between the first and second thermally conductive plates;

the first peripheral wall having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough that fluidly communicate with the plurality of flow channels; and

the second peripheral wall having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough that fluidly communicate with the plurality of flow channels, such that the first thermally conductive plate extracts heat energy from the first battery cell when air flows through the plurality of flow channels defined by the first and second thermally conductive plates; and

the third peripheral wall having a first outlet configured to receive the first electrical terminal of the first battery cell therethrough, such that if the first battery cell outputs gases therefrom the first outlet is further configured to route the gases from the first battery cell to outside of the frame member such that the gases are isolated from the air flowing through the plurality of flow channels.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the fourth peripheral wall has a second outlet configured to receive the second electrical terminal of the first battery cell therethrough, such that if the first battery cell outputs gases therefrom the second outlet is further configured to route the gases from the first battery cell to outside of the frame member such that the gases are isolated from the air flowing through the plurality of flow channels.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the frame member is a substantially rectangular ring-shaped frame member defined by the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the third and fourth peripheral walls extend substantially perpendicular to the first and second peripheral walls.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls are symmetrical about a plane extending through the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls.

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein an area of a side of the first thermally conductive plate is substantially equal to an area of a side of the first battery cell contacting the first thermally conductive plate.

7. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third and fourth peripheral walls are constructed of plastic.

8. The battery module of claim 7, wherein the first and second thermally conductive plates are constructed of steel.

9. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising a first end plate, the first end plate being disposed against the first battery cell such that the first battery cell is disposed between the frame member and the first end plate.

11. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising a second battery cell having first and second electrical terminals, the second battery cell being disposed against the second thermally conductive plate, such that the second thermally conductive plate extracts heat energy from the first battery cell when the air flows through the plurality of flow channels defined by the first and second thermally conductive plates.

12. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first and second thermally conductive plates both have a corrugated cross-sectional profile which defines the plurality of flow channels therebetween.

13. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising a first manifold fluidly coupled to the frame member directing the air through the plurality of apertures in the first peripheral wall, and the plurality of flow channels formed by the first and second thermally conductive plates, and the plurality of apertures in the second peripheral wall, such that the air is isolated from the gases output from the first battery cell.

14. The battery module of claim 13, further comprising a second manifold fluidly coupled to the frame member and receiving the air from the plurality of apertures in the second peripheral wall, such that the air is isolated from the gases output from the first battery cell.

10. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the frame member further includes first and second elastomeric sealing members disposed on the first and second peripheral walls that contact the first end plate.