BATTERY ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD OF PROVIDING A BATTERY ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle, with a first battery module including at least one first battery cell and a second battery module including at least one second battery cell. Here, the first battery module has a first module housing with a first interior space in which the at least one first battery cell is arranged, and the second battery module has a second module housing with a second interior space in which the at least one second battery cell is arranged. The first and second interior spaces are designed to be sealed with respect to one another.

Claims

1. A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a first battery module including at least one first battery cell and a second battery module including at least one second battery cell, wherein the first battery module includes a first module housing with a first interior space in which the at least one first battery cell is arranged, and the second battery module includes a second module housing with a second interior space in which the at least one second battery cell is arranged, wherein the first and second interior spaces are sealed with respect to one another.

2. The battery arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first module housing includes a first module housing lower part and a first module cover which is placed on the first module housing lower part and is sealed with respect to the first module housing lower part and wherein the second module housing includes a second module housing lower part and a second module cover which is placed on the second module housing lower part and is sealed with respect to the second module housing lower part.

3. The battery arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the first and second module housings are provided by a common battery housing including a housing lower part and a housing cover which is placed on the housing lower part, wherein the housing lower part provides the first and second module housing lower parts, wherein the first module cover is provided by a first portion of the housing cover and the second module cover is provided by a second portion of the housing cover.

4. The battery arrangement according to claim 2, wherein a seal is arranged between the first module cover and the first module housing lower part along a closed contour, on end faces of side walls which, as part of the first module housing lower part, delimit the first interior space.

5. The battery arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the seal is a silicate seal and/or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) seal and/or a high-temperature seal.

6. The battery arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second module housing includes at least one side wall in which a through opening is arranged through which at least one cable and/or an electrical line is passed, wherein the cable and/or the electrical line is sealed in the through opening with respect to the side wall.

7. The battery arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cable and/or an electrical line is sealed with respect to the side wall by means of a silicone-mica seal.

8. The battery arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first battery cells are arranged in the first module housing, which are arranged next to one another in the form of a cell stack in a stacking direction, and which are formed as prismatic battery cells.

9. The battery arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the battery arrangement is a high-voltage battery.

10. A method for providing a battery arrangement, comprising the steps of: providing a first module housing with a first interior space and a second module housing with a second interior space; and arranging at least one first battery cell in the first interior space and at least one second battery cell in the second interior space; and sealing the first and second interior spaces to each other after arranging the at least one first and second battery cells.

11. The battery arrangement according to claim 3, wherein a seal is arranged between the first module cover and the first module housing lower part along a closed contour, on end faces of side walls which, as part of the first module housing lower part, delimit the first interior space.

12. The battery arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the first and/or second module housing includes at least one side wall in which a through opening is arranged through which at least one cable and/or an electrical line is passed, wherein the cable and/or the electrical line is sealed in the through opening with respect to the side wall.

13. The battery arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the first and/or second module housing includes at least one side wall in which a through opening is arranged through which at least one cable and/or an electrical line is passed, wherein the cable and/or the electrical line is sealed in the through opening with respect to the side wall.

14. The battery arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the first and/or second module housing includes at least one side wall in which a through opening is arranged through which at least one cable and/or an electrical line is passed, wherein the cable and/or the electrical line is sealed in the through opening with respect to the side wall.

15. The battery arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the first and/or second module housing includes at least one side wall in which a through opening is arranged through which at least one cable and/or an electrical line is passed, wherein the cable and/or the electrical line is sealed in the through opening with respect to the side wall.

16. The battery arrangement according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of first battery cells are arranged in the first module housing, which are arranged next to one another in the form of a cell stack in a stacking direction, and which are formed as prismatic battery cells.

17. The battery arrangement according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of first battery cells are arranged in the first module housing which are arranged next to one another in the form of a cell stack in a stacking direction, and which are formed as prismatic battery cells.

18. The battery arrangement according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of first battery cells are arranged in the first module housing, which are arranged next to one another in the form of a cell stack in a stacking direction, and which are formed as prismatic battery cells.

19. The battery arrangement according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of first battery cells are arranged in the first module housing, which are arranged next to one another in the form of a cell stack in a stacking direction, and which are formed as prismatic battery cells.

20. The battery arrangement according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of first battery cells are arranged in the first module housing, which are arranged next to one another in the form of a cell stack in a stacking direction, and which are formed as prismatic battery cells.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] Examples of embodiments of the invention are described below. Showing for this purpose:

[0030] FIG. 1a schematic representation of the sequence of thermal propagation in a conventional battery according to an example not belonging to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2a schematic representation of a battery arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0032] FIG. 3a schematic representation of the sequence of a thermal propagation in a battery arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The embodiments explained below are preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that are to be considered independently of one another, and which also each independently further the invention. Therefore, the disclosure is intended to include combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further of the already described features of the invention.

[0034] In the figures, identical reference signs denote elements with identical functions.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the sequence of a thermal propagation on a battery 10 according to an example not belonging to the invention. In this example, the battery 10 includes a battery housing 12 with battery modules 14 disposed therein. In FIG. 1, this battery 10 is shown firstly at an earlier first time t0, and below at a later second time t1. At the earlier first time t0, a first of the battery modules 14 begins to thermally propagate. In the course of such thermal propagation, the temperature in the cells of this battery module 14 rises and hot gas escapes from the cells. The outlet of this gas 16 is thereby illustrated by the arrow 18. In this case, the conventional battery housing 12 is constructed such that the cell modules 14 are located in a common interior space 20. Thus, air exchange can take place throughout the battery space 20. In the case of thermal propagation of a battery module 14, this causes the temperatures of the other battery modules 14 to also rise rapidly due to the propagating gas flow. The propagation of this gas flow is illustrated by arrows 22 in FIG. 1. As temperatures rise in the remaining battery modules 14, there is also thermal runaway of their battery cells and thermal propagation of the remaining battery modules 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1 below. Also, the electrically conductive precipitate due to the escaping gas stream 16 can distribute unhindered throughout the entire interior space 20, minimizing air and creepage distances, which additionally increases the risk of short circuits and leads to the increased formation of arcs and ultimately to the fire of the entire battery 10.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a battery arrangement 30 according to an embodiment of the invention. For example, the battery arrangement 30 may be a high voltage battery. In this regard, the battery arrangement 30 includes a plurality of battery modules 32, for example, a first battery module 32a, a second battery module 32b, and a third battery module 32c. Each of these battery modules 32 comprises at least one battery cell 34. In the present example, each of the battery modules 32 comprises a plurality of battery cells 34, although for clarity only one battery cell 34 per module 32 is given a reference number in FIG. 2. The battery cells 34 are preferably designed as prismatic battery cells, and can be arranged in the form of a cell stack next to each other, for example in the x-direction shown here. Instead, the individual battery cells 34 can also be arranged next to each other in the y-direction. Furthermore, the individual battery modules 32 are also arranged next to each other in the x-direction here as an example. Alternatively or additionally, the battery modules 32 may be arranged side by side in the y-direction. The z-axis shown here preferably corresponds to a vehicle vertical axis with respect to an intended installation position of the battery arrangement 30 in a motor vehicle. In principle, however, it is also conceivable that battery modules 32 are arranged one above the other with respect to the z-direction, although this is less preferred.

[0037] The battery modules 32 are now further arranged in a common battery housing 36. However, unlike conventional battery housings, this battery housing 36 now provides a separate chamber 38a, 38b, 38c for a respective battery module 32. This provides a separate module housing 36a, 36b, 36c, so to speak, for each battery module 32. Wherein said chambers 38a, 38b, 38c then correspondingly define respective interior spaces 38a, 38b, 38c of respective module housings 36a, 36b, 36c. These respective interior spaces 38a, 38b, 38c are now advantageously sealed from each other. Thus, in the event of a thermal event, a buildup of the reaction can be prevented and propagation of a thermal propagation can be limited to a single module 32. As soon as, for example, all cells 34 of the affected module 32 are propagated, the reaction comes to a standstill, since it is then no longer possible to spread to adjacent modules 32. In order to implement such a seal in the simplest and most efficient manner, the battery housing 36 preferably includes a housing lower part 40 and a cover 42. The housing lower part 40 provides respective module housing lower parts 40a, 40b, 40c, and the housing cover 42 provides respective module covers 42a, 42b, 42c. Accordingly, the housing lower part 40 also has side walls 44 that separate the individual chambers 38a, 38b, 38c from each other and from the environment. In this regard, some of the side walls 44 are simultaneously part of two module housing lower sections 40a, 40b, 40c and, so to speak, simultaneously act as partition walls between the chambers 38a, 38b, 38c. A seal 46 can be arranged on the end faces of the respective side walls 44 between the cover 42 and the housing lower part 40 to seal the interior spaces 38a, 38b, 38c from one another. This is preferably designed as a silicate seal and/or PTFE seal and/or as a high-temperature seal. Such a seal 46 thus seals the housing cover 42 from the housing lower part 40 in the region of respective side walls 44 and thus also seals the respective interior spaces 38a, 38b, 38c from one another.

[0038] Optionally, electrical lines 48 in side walls 44 may also be sealed from the side walls 44 via a corresponding seal 50. Such electrical lines 48, or contacting regions 48 in general, may be used to interconnect the battery modules 32. Thus, such contacting regions 48 in the sidewalls 44 can also be designed to be sealed, again minimizing the likelihood of gas leakage should one of the modules 32 thermally propagate.

[0039] Thus, the high voltage battery system provided by the battery arrangement 30 may be constructed with individual chambers 38a, 38b, 38c for the individual battery modules 32a, 32b, 32c and cell modules, respectively. The housing 36 is preferably made of a metallic material. The appropriate shaping of the cover 42, which is preferably made of steel, separates the chambers 38a, 38b, 38c from each other in an airtight or at least nearly airtight manner A corresponding temperature-stable seal, for example one of those mentioned above, is very advantageous here. If a thermal event of a cell 34 now occurs, the propagation can be reduced to only one cell module 32, as illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates once again the battery arrangement 30 described for FIG. 2 at a first earlier time t2 and at a later second time t3. At the first earlier time t2, thermal propagation of the first battery module 32a occurs. Concomitantly, there is an outflow 18 of gases 16 from the first battery module 32a. This gas leakage may initially affect only one of the battery cells 34 of the first battery module 32a, and may spread throughout all of the battery cells 34 of the first battery module 32a. In the course of such thermal propagation, there is also a tremendous temperature rise within the first battery module 32a and, after gas leakage, also within the first interior space 38a. However, the escaping gas cannot enter the other chambers 38b, 38c. Spreading of thermal propagation to the other battery modules 32b, 32c can thus be prevented. Thus, at the later second time t3, only the first battery module 32a has propagated, while the temperatures of the other battery modules 32b, 32c have remained essentially the same or at least have increased little or only slightly compared to the first time t2. Thermal propagation of these remaining battery modules 32b, 32c can thus be prevented, and propagation of the electrically conductive precipitate into the remaining chambers 38b, 38c can thus also be prevented. In addition, a fire of the module 32a cannot spread to the other chambers 38b, 38c.

[0040] Overall, the examples show how the invention can provide a chamber battery that makes it possible in a simple and efficient manner to limit thermal propagation to battery cells concerned in the event of a thermal event within a battery module. This can significantly increase safety, especially in connection with high-voltage batteries.