BATTERY MODULE, ENERGY STORAGE ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR DETECTING LIQUID

Abstract

A battery module for an energy storage arrangement. The battery module has an underside for arrangement on a housing base of a battery housing, an upper side opposite the underside with respect to a first direction, at least one outer side that is different from the underside and the upper side, and at least one liquid sensor by which a liquid can be detected. In doing so, the liquid sensor has a measuring probe which is arranged on the outer side of the battery module and extends downwards in the direction of the underside of the battery module.

Claims

1. A battery module for an energy storage arrangement, comprising: an underside for arrangement on a housing base of a battery housing; an upper side opposite a lower side with respect to a first direction; at least one outer side that is different from the lower side and the upper side; at least one liquid sensor by which a liquid can be detected, wherein the liquid sensor has a measuring probe which is arranged on the outer side of the battery module and extends downwards in the direction of the underside of the battery module.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the battery module has a module control unit, wherein the measuring probe is electrically connected to the module control unit, and wherein the module control unit is adapted to evaluate a measurement signal provided by the measuring probe and/or forward it to a battery control device.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the battery module has a cell stack with at least one battery cell and a module housing with a module frame which is arranged circumferentially around the cell stack and provides the at least one outer side, wherein at least one electrical and/or electronic component is arranged on the outer side, wherein the measuring probe is designed as part of the component.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the module control unit represents the component, in particular wherein the module control unit is arranged on an end face of the battery module, which is provided by an end plate of the module frame, which delimits the cell stack with respect to a stacking direction perpendicular to the first direction; and/or wherein the battery module has a flexible printed circuit board, by which at least one measured cell variable relating to the battery cell can be provided to the module control unit of the battery module, wherein the flexible printed circuit board represents the component.

5. An energy storage arrangement with a battery module according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage arrangement has a battery housing with a housing base on which the battery module is arranged with the underside facing the housing base.

6. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the measuring probe is at a predetermined distance from a base area of the housing base that is arranged directly below the measuring probe in relation to the first direction, wherein the housing base has at least one depression in relation to the first direction which is arranged in the base area.

7. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the housing base has at least one bead for collecting condensate liquid which cannot be detected by the at least one liquid sensor when it is in the at least one bead.

8. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the housing base has at least one water drain valve which is set up such that it opens depending on the presence of liquid in the area of the water drain valve in order to drain the liquid out of the battery housing, wherein the at least one water drain valve is adapted to open independently of a detection of the liquid by the at least one liquid sensor when liquid is present in the area of the at least one water drain valve.

9. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the at least one water drain valve has an opening sensor which is adapted to detect an opening of the at least one water drain valve and to report it to a control of the energy storage arrangement.

10. A method for detecting liquid in the area of a battery module for an energy storage arrangement, wherein the battery module has: an underside for arrangement on a housing base of a battery housing; an upper side opposite the lower side with respect to a first direction; at least one outer side that is different from the lower side and the upper side; and at least one liquid sensor by which a liquid is detected, wherein the liquid is detected by a measuring probe of the liquid sensor which is arranged on the outer side of the battery module and extends downwards in the direction of the underside of the battery module.

11. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the battery module has a cell stack with at least one battery cell and a module housing with a module frame which is arranged circumferentially around the cell stack and provides the at least one outer side, wherein at least one electrical and/or electronic component is arranged on the outer side, wherein the measuring probe is designed as part of the component.

12. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the module control unit represents the component, in particular wherein the module control unit is arranged on an end face of the battery module, which is provided by an end plate of the module frame, which delimits the cell stack with respect to a stacking direction perpendicular to the first direction; and/or wherein the battery module has a flexible printed circuit board, by which at least one measured cell variable relating to the battery cell can be provided to the module control unit of the battery module, wherein the flexible printed circuit board represents the component.

13. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein the module control unit represents the component, in particular wherein the module control unit is arranged on an end face of the battery module, which is provided by an end plate of the module frame, which delimits the cell stack with respect to a stacking direction perpendicular to the first direction; and/or wherein the battery module has a flexible printed circuit board, by which at least one measured cell variable relating to the battery cell can be provided to the module control unit of the battery module, wherein the flexible printed circuit board represents the component.

14. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the housing base has at least one bead for collecting condensate liquid which cannot be detected by the at least one liquid sensor when it is in the at least one bead.

15. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the housing base has at least one water drain valve which is set up such that it opens depending on the presence of liquid in the area of the water drain valve in order to drain the liquid out of the battery housing, wherein the at least one water drain valve is adapted to open independently of a detection of the liquid by the at least one liquid sensor when liquid is present in the area of the at least one water drain valve.

16. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the housing base has at least one water drain valve which is set up such that it opens depending on the presence of liquid in the area of the water drain valve in order to drain the liquid out of the battery housing, wherein the at least one water drain valve is adapted to open independently of a detection of the liquid by the at least one liquid sensor when liquid is present in the area of the at least one water drain valve.

17. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the at least one water drain valve has an opening sensor which is adapted to detect an opening of the at least one water drain valve and to report it to a control of the energy storage arrangement.

18. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the at least one water drain valve has an opening sensor which is adapted to detect an opening of the at least one water drain valve and to report it to a control of the energy storage arrangement.

19. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the at least one water drain valve has an opening sensor which is adapted to detect an opening of the at least one water drain valve and to report it to a control of the energy storage arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter. In the figures:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic and perspective representation of a part of a battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic and perspective representation of a high-voltage battery according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The exemplary embodiments explained hereinafter are preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0042] In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention to be considered independently of one another, which each also refine the invention independently of one another. Therefore, the disclosure is also intended to comprise combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those represented. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention as already described.

[0043] In the figures, same reference numerals respectively designate elements that have the same function.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a part of a battery module 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. In this example, the battery module 10 has an upper side 12 and an opposite lower side 14 with respect to the z-direction. Furthermore, the battery module has outer sides 16a, 16b different from the upper side 12 and the lower side 14. The outer side 16a represents an end face 16a of the battery module 10 which is provided by an end plate 18 of a frame 20 of a module housing 22. This frame 20 has two such end plates 18, wherein here, only one is represented in FIG. 1. These end plates 18 delimit a cell stack 24 accommodated in the module housing 20 (cf. FIG. 2) in the stacking direction, which corresponds to the x-direction represented here. The battery module 10 therefore also comprises such a cell stack 24 with several battery cells 26 (also cf. FIG. 2), which are arranged next to one another in the stacking direction x. The two end plates 18 can be connected to one another and braced by two side plates 28. The end plates 18 and the side plates 28 are correspondingly part of the frame 20 or provide it. In addition to the frame 20, the module housing 22 in this example also comprises a housing cover 30, through which cooling of the battery cells 26 can optionally also be provided.

[0045] Furthermore, the battery module 10 has a module control unit 32, which is also referred to below as a cell module controller or simply CMC. This CMC 32 is arranged on one of the end plates 18 and fixed thereto. The CMC 32 has a housing 34 in which the electrical and electronic components of the CMC 32 are arranged. Furthermore, the battery module 10 also comprises a flexible printed circuit board 36, in particular several such flexible printed circuit boards 36, which are also referred to as flexible printed circuits “FPC”. These carry the conductor tracks, via which various electrical measured variables can be routed from the cells 26 of the cell stack 24 to the CMC 32. For this purpose, the CMC 32 comprises a corresponding connection means 38, in particular on both sides with respect to the y-direction, which provide corresponding interfaces into which corresponding plugs 40 of the flexible printed circuit boards 36 can be plugged. These interfaces 38 can comprise several pins which correspond to respective inputs. For example, a measured variable can be assigned to each input. It is not necessary for all inputs to be assigned a measured variable or for an input signal to be provided at this input.

[0046] Advantageously, the battery module 10 now has at least one liquid sensor. In the present example, two such liquid sensors 42, 44 are illustrated. In particular, the measuring probes 46, 48 of these liquid sensors 42, 44 are represented here. There are now two particularly advantageous possibilities for arranging such liquid sensors 42, 44 on the outer side 16a, 16b of the battery module 10. On the one hand, the flexible printed circuit board 36 is extended in an area up to the base plate of the battery 50 (cf. FIG. 2), wherein the base plate represents an exemplary embodiment of the housing base 52 of the battery housing 54 (also cf. FIG. 2). This extended part of the flexible printed circuit board 36 is referred to here as 36a. The measuring probe 46 of the liquid sensor 42 is integrated at the lower end of this extended part 36a. For better illustration, the measuring probe 46 of the liquid sensor 42 is again represented separately in an enlarged representation in FIG. 1. Such a measuring probe 46 can be embodied to be extremely small and have dimensions that are smaller than the diameter of a one-cent coin, in particular even significantly smaller than the radius of such a one-cent coin. Such a measuring probe 46 can thus be integrated into already existing electrical or electronic components of the battery module 10 in a particularly installation space-saving manner. The sensor 42 or the measuring probe 46 can be embodied as a surface mounted device (SMD), i.e. a surface-mounted component, with which the FPC, i.e. the flexible printed circuit board 46, is fitted. The measuring probe 46 can also be connected to the CMC 32 via the flexible printed circuit board 36, in particular via the plug 40 and the corresponding connection means 38 of the CMC 32. For this purpose, for example, one of the pins mentioned above can be used to provide the measuring signal provided by the measuring probe 46 as an input signal. As a result, the electrical connection to a control means, namely the CMC 32, is particularly efficient, simple, installation space-saving and does not require a great deal of cabling.

[0047] At the same time, the CMC 32 can function as an evaluation unit of the liquid sensor 42 and evaluate the measurement signals supplied. Alternatively or additionally, the CMC 32 can forward these measurement signals or variables derived therefrom to a higher-level battery control device not represented here, which takes over the evaluation of these signals. Depending on the evaluated signals, a corresponding measure can in turn be initiated when a liquid is detected, for example a warning can be issued to a driver or switching-off of the battery system 50 (cf. FIG. 2) can be initiated, or the like.

[0048] A further advantageous possibility for integrating a liquid sensor, the second liquid sensor 44 or its measuring probe 48 in the present case, consists in integrating it into the CMC 32 itself. For this purpose, the CMC 32 can also be embodied with a downward extension 32a, i.e. in the direction of the underside 14 of the battery module 10. In this extension 32a, in particular of the housing 34 of the CMC 32, the measuring probe 48 can now advantageously be integrated. Here as well, the measuring probe 48 of the liquid sensor 44 is again represented separately in an enlarged representation in FIG. 1 for better illustration. The PCB (printed circuit board), i.e. the circuit board of the CMC 32, can be fitted with the sensor 44 accordingly. In other words, the represented ends 56 of the sensor 44 may be connected to the circuit board of the CMC 32. The sensor signals supplied by the sensor or the measuring probe 48 can be tapped off via these ends 56. A voltage, which is also provided by the CMC 32, can be applied to these ends 56, for example for a resistance measurement. If the lower end 58 of the measuring probe 48 comes into contact with liquid, the resistance between the conductors is reduced correspondingly, which can be detected via the ends 56 accordingly.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an energy storage arrangement embodied as a high-voltage energy storage or high-voltage battery 50. As already mentioned, it has a battery housing 54 in which one or more battery modules 10 can be accommodated. In this example, the battery housing comprises several partition walls 53 which divide the interior of the battery housing 54 into several accommodation areas 55 for accommodating a respective battery module 10. These battery modules 10 can be designed as already described for FIG. 1. Four such battery modules 10 arranged next to one another in the y-direction are represented here as an example, or only represented in outline for reasons of clarity. The respective cell stack 24 of a respective battery module therefore preferably extends substantially to the end of the respective accommodation area 55 in the x-direction.

[0050] Furthermore, it is very advantageous if the housing base 52 of the battery housing 54 has at least one water drain valve 60. In this example, the energy storage 50 comprises four such water drain valves 60 which are arranged in the respective corners 62 of the housing base 52. These can be embodied as purely mechanical valves 60 or chemical-mechanical valves, which in particular open automatically as soon as they come into contact with liquid or a specific minimum amount of liquid, in particular optionally also a specific liquid. This means that these water drain valves 60 can be opened, regardless of whether one of the liquid sensors 42, 44 detects a liquid or not. In the event of a fault, the water can hereby be led out of the battery 50 immediately and independently. If such a valve 60 opens, it thus creates a fluidic connection between the interior of the battery housing 54 and an environment 64 of the battery housing, in particular an environment of the motor vehicle in which the energy storage 50 is used. Due to the fact that four such valves 60 are now placed in the corners 62, such water can be drained off in any vehicle position. It is therefore very advantageous if such a valve 60 is accommodated in each corner of the high-voltage storage 50, in particular in the base area.

[0051] In addition, such a valve 60 can also have a sensor system 64, which is only represented as an example for such a valve 60 in the present case. By means of such a sensor system 64, it can be detected, for example, when the associated valve 60 in question opens. The opening of the valve, which is detected by the sensor system 64, can in turn be reported to the CMC 32 or another higher-level control device or transmitted thereto, for example via a cable or a suitable wireless transmission possibility.

[0052] It can furthermore be provided that the base 52 of the battery housing 54 has a bead pattern with one or more beads in order to collect small amounts of condensate. As a result, small amounts of condensate do not lead to an immediate triggering of either the valves 60 or the liquid sensors 42, 44. It is furthermore conceivable that the housing 54 or its add-on part, i.e. the base plate 52, is additionally provided in the base area 52 of the battery 50, which allows water to collect, for example a beading or depression 66 below in the plate 52. In other words, the housing base 52 can have a depression 66. Such a depression 66 is preferably arranged in the area 68 of the housing base 52, which is located directly below a respective measuring probe 46, 48 with respect to the z-direction. Thus, in the event of a fault, the sensor system 44, 42 can be the first to come into contact with the liquid media. The measuring probes 46, 48 can protrude into these depressions 66 in a somewhat depressed manner opposite to the z-direction.

[0053] Overall, the examples show how the invention can provide a system for water detection in a high-voltage storage system with an optional water drain valve. The fault of liquids which are free or become free can be recognized in good time by a suitable sensor system and measures can be initiated or are initiated mechanically, for example by triggering a valve, and are recognized by a suitable sensor system, for example a sensor on the valve. Condensation water occurring in the high-voltage storage system does not affect the system when used as intended, and small amounts of condensate can be caught and collected by a suitable bead pattern in the battery base plate.