Method and system for cooling secondary battery

Abstract

Provided are a method and system for rapidly cooling a lithium secondary battery. A conductive connector is connected to at least one of positive and negative electrode terminals of a lithium secondary battery, and the conductive connector is brought into contact with a coolant to cool battery cells. The coolant may be water or air and may flow a coolant tube formed of a synthetic resin. An end of the coolant tube is fixed to at least one of the positive and negative electrode terminals. Therefore, owing to a cooling means disposed at a side of the lithium secondary battery, the temperature of the lithium secondary battery can be prevented from increasing to a preset value due to abnormal heating, and thermal stability of the lithium secondary battery can be improved by rapid cooling.

1 . A method for cooling a lithium secondary battery including an electrode terminal, the method comprising:
 connecting a conductive connector to the electrode terminal; and   bringing a coolant into contact with the connector to cool a battery cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is connected to a coolant tube in which the coolant flows. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the connector comprises:
 a body;   a fixing part formed on a side of the body for being fixed to the electrode terminal; and   a connection part formed on the other side of the body for connection with the coolant tube.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the connector comprises:
 a body configured to be fixed to the electrode terminal; and   a connection part inserted in the body and configured to be connected to the coolant tube.   
     
     
         5 . A system for cooling a lithium secondary battery including an electrode terminal, the system comprising:
 a conductive connector fixed to the electrode terminal; and   a coolant tube connected to the conductive connector and allowing a flow of a coolant therethrough.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the connector comprises:
 a body;   a fixing part formed on a side of the body and fixed to the electrode terminal; and   a connection part formed on the other side of the body and connected to the coolant tube.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the fixing part is fixed to the electrode terminal by welding. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the connector comprises:
 a body fixed to the electrode terminal; and   a connection part inserted in the body and connected to the coolant tube.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the body is fixed to the electrode terminal by welding. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the coolant is a fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the coolant is water or air. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the coolant tube is formed of a synthetic resin. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the synthetic resin comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polychloroprene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer rubber, acrylic rubber, nitrile-butadiene rubber, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the connector comprises at least one selected from the consisting of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), and alloys thereof.