Battery module with compact structure and excellent heat radiation characteristics and middle or large-sized battery pack employed with the same

A battery module comprising:

• a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell comprising:
• an electrode assembly;
• an electrode assembly receiving part having a rectangular shape;
• and
• an outer edge sealed portion formed at outer edges of the electrode assembly receiving part,
• wherein the electrode assembly receiving part has a thickness greater than a thickness of the outer sealed portion;
• the plurality of battery cells mounted in a module case, the battery cells arranged in a lateral direction such that the electrode assembly receiving parts of the battery cells are adjacent to one another;
• and
• at least one cooling member disposed between the respective battery cells, each of the cooling members comprising:
• a heat dissipation fin disposed between adjacent electrode assembly receiving parts in a tight contact state, the heat dissipation fin having a first major surface and a second major surface;
• and
• a coolant conduit configured to have a hollow structure in which a coolant flows and mounted to the heat dissipation fin to encircle the electrode assembly receiving part in a rectangular shape only along a periphery of the electrode assembly receiving part, the cooling conduit extending outwardly from both the first major surface and the second major surface of the heat dissipation fin,
• wherein the coolant conduit of each of the cooling members has a diameter equal to a sum of heights of outer edges of adjacent electrode assembly receiving parts,
• wherein the coolant conduit contacts the outer sealed portion of two adjacent battery cells, and
• wherein the heat dissipation fin is formed in the shape of a sheet, and the coolant conduit penetrates the heat dissipation fin in parallel.