Secondary battery temperature test chamber that can actively respond to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution
Patent Information
- Application Number
- KR1020230126033
- Authority / Receiving Office
- KR · KR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-11
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-09-21
Smart Images

Figure 112023104648316-PAT00004_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technology Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature test chamber for testing the performance and safety of a secondary battery, and more specifically, to a secondary battery temperature test chamber capable of maintaining a uniform temperature distribution inside the chamber and actively responding to fire during performance and safety testing of a secondary battery. Background Technology
[0002] Rechargeable batteries are used in various industries, including the automotive, computer, telecommunications, defense, and alternative energy markets, and are widely used in mobile systems such as smartphones and laptops.
[0003] With the recent rise in environmental awareness and the significant increase in demand for electric vehicles as an alternative energy source, the rechargeable batteries used in these vehicles are capable of high-density energy storage, requiring various evaluations in performance and safety tests.
[0004] Performance tests for secondary batteries include temperature characteristics, storage life tests, and cycle life tests. Temperature characteristics tests are used to verify the input and output capacities of secondary batteries under various temperature conditions, and include discharge and charge characteristics depending on temperature. Storage life tests measure the loss of charge state of a secondary battery stored for a long period under given temperature conditions; the test battery is stored in a constant temperature chamber, and the remaining capacity and recovery rate are measured before and after storage. Cycle life tests are performed to determine the number of times the battery can be used continuously; generally, a charger is used to repeatedly charge and discharge the battery, and it is evaluated until performance degrades.
[0005] Meanwhile, secondary battery safety testing involves verifying whether safety can be guaranteed during normal operation or in failure situations, and includes electrical, mechanical, and environmental tests. Since the charging of a secondary battery triggers chemical reactions and is affected by temperature, thermal runaway may occur when the battery is charged at temperatures higher than the standard temperature due to a degradation in the safety of the battery's internal crystal structure. Therefore, the ultimate requirement of safety testing is to design the battery so that leakage, ignition, or explosion does not occur.
[0006] As mentioned above, it is very important for the test chamber used for testing the performance and stability of secondary batteries to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the entire chamber during the test.
[0007] To this end, conventional secondary battery test chambers conduct various tests while placed on a flat shelf rather than in the form of a deep drawer, so that a uniform airflow can be formed—that is, so that the airflow to the secondary battery is not obstructed.
[0008] However, when testing secondary batteries on a flat shelf as in conventional technology, while a uniform temperature distribution can be maintained, there was a problem in that it was not possible to actively respond to fire precursors or actual fires caused by thermal runaway of the secondary battery. Prior art literature
[0009] Registered Patent 10-2537502 The problem to be solved
[0010] The present invention was devised to solve the problems of the aforementioned prior art, and aims to provide a secondary battery test chamber that allows for the maintenance of a uniform temperature distribution inside the chamber by testing the secondary battery while it is normally placed on a flat shelf, while enabling the perimeter of the shelf to be deformed into a deep shape in the event of a fire precursor or actual fire, thereby allowing for the active response to a secondary battery fire by dropping a fire extinguishing liquid onto the shelf and penetrating the liquid into the secondary battery. means of solving the problem
[0011] A secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution to solve the above-mentioned problem, comprises: a housing having a door that opens and closes the opening surface; at least one shelf installed within the housing, on which a secondary battery is placed, which normally maintains a flat shape with the entire edge open and changes into a container shape with the top surface open so that the entire height of the edge is deformed to fill the interior with a fire extinguishing agent upon fire detection; a fire extinguishing agent supply unit that supplies the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf upon fire detection so that the secondary battery is submerged in the fire extinguishing agent; and a control unit that operates the fire extinguishing agent supply unit to supply or cut off the supply of the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf.
[0012] Here, the shelf comprises a tubular water tank consisting of a bottom portion fixed to the upper surface of the shelf and a wall portion connected to the edge of the bottom portion, and upon fire detection, the tubular water tank is filled with air and expanded to transform into a container shape with an open top surface.
[0013] Meanwhile, the present invention includes a curtain-type water tank comprising a wall portion in which the lower part is connected to the upper surface of the shelf and a cylinder connected to the wall portion, wherein, upon detection of fire, the cylinder operates to vary the height of the wall portion so that it can be transformed into a container shape with an open upper surface.
[0014] Here, the wall portion of the curtain-type water tank is composed of heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and the cylinder is composed of an air cylinder.
[0015] In addition, the wall portion of the curtain-type water tank is composed of a heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and the cylinder is composed of a gas cylinder. A lower frame is provided at the upper edge of the shelf, to which the lower portion of the wall portion is connected, and an upper frame is provided, to which the upper portion of the wall portion is connected. Both ends of the cylinder are connected to the lower frame and the upper frame, respectively. Normally, the lower frame and the upper frame are interlocked and attached to each other. However, in the event of a fire, the interlock is released by the control unit, separating the lower frame and the upper frame. Subsequently, the upper frame rises by the force of the cylinder to form a wall, thereby allowing the tank to be transformed into a container shape with an open upper surface.
[0016] In addition, the fire extinguishing agent supply unit comprises: a fire extinguishing agent tank in which a fire extinguishing agent is stored; a main pipe connected to the fire extinguishing agent tank; one or more branch pipes branched from the main pipe to guide the fire extinguishing agent toward the shelf; a valve that opens and closes the branch pipe according to a signal from the control unit; and a nozzle provided in the branch pipe that sprays the fire extinguishing agent supplied from the fire extinguishing agent tank toward the secondary battery when the valve is opened.
[0017] In addition, the present invention further comprises a fire and water level detector that detects a fire when it occurs in the secondary battery, transmits a fire detection signal to the control unit, and transmits the water level of the fire extinguishing agent supplied to the secondary battery to the control unit.
[0018] In addition, the present invention locks the valve through the control unit when the entire secondary battery is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent.
[0019] Meanwhile, the air supply unit further includes an air supply unit for supplying air to the above-mentioned tubular water tank; the air supply unit comprises an air pump operated by an operation signal from a control unit that receives a fire detection signal from the fire and water level detector; a main tube through which air generated from the air pump flows; and one or more branch tubes branched from the main tube and equipped with an inlet at the end for supplying air to the above-mentioned tubular water tank.
[0020] In addition, a plurality of temperature sensors are installed in the internal space of the housing to measure the temperature at a corresponding point, and the temperature values obtained by the temperature sensors are transmitted to a mobile terminal via a wired or wireless communication network, and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit and the air supply unit can be operated through the mobile terminal. Effects of the invention
[0021] The secondary battery test chamber of the present invention, configured as described above and capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution, can quickly suppress a fire by spraying a fire extinguishing agent stored in a fire extinguishing agent tank into a tubular tank in which a secondary battery is placed, thereby submerging the secondary battery in the fire extinguishing agent. In a normal state (i.e., when no fire occurs), the tubular tank or curtain tank is in a contracted state without being deformed into a container shape, so the air flow inside the housing is not affected (obstructed) by the tubular tank or curtain tank, and the secondary battery can be tested while placed on a flat shelf, thus having the advantage of improving the temperature distribution inside the test chamber. By exhibiting such a uniform temperature distribution, the temperature inside the housing can be kept within the test tolerance of the secondary battery.
[0022] In addition, since the temperature value measured by the temperature sensor can be transmitted to a mobile terminal, there is an advantage in that, in the event of a high risk of fire in the secondary battery, the fire extinguishing agent can be sprayed by operating the supply unit from the outside via the mobile terminal. Brief explanation of the drawing
[0023] FIG. 1 is a figure showing a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a figure showing a shelf and a tubular tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a figure showing a fire extinguishing agent supply section of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5 are drawings showing an air supply unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7 are drawings showing an embodiment of a curtain-type water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIGS. 8 and 9 show a branch pipe of a fire extinguishing agent supply unit embedded in a shelf in a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a figure showing another embodiment of a curtain-type tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a figure showing the relationship of components centered on the control unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention
[0024] An embodiment of a secondary battery test chamber capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a shelf and a tubular water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a fire extinguishing agent supply unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are diagrams showing an air supply unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.
[0026] Also, FIGS. 6 and 7 are drawings showing an embodiment of a curtain-type water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are drawings showing a branch pipe of a fire extinguishing agent supply unit embedded in a shelf in a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.
[0027] In addition, FIG. 10 is a figure showing another embodiment of a curtain-type tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a figure showing the relationship of components centered on the control unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.
[0028] The secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention comprises a housing (10), one or more shelves (20) installed inside the housing (10), a fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) that supplies a fire extinguishing agent to the shelves (20), a control unit (40) that operates the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to supply or cut off the supply of a fire extinguishing agent to the shelves (20), a tubular water tank (50) or a curtain-type water tank (60) provided on the shelves (20), a fire and water level detector (70) that detects the occurrence of a fire in the secondary battery (A) and the water level of the fire extinguishing agent, and an air supply unit (80) that supplies air to the tubular water tank (50).
[0029] The above housing (10) has a receiving space inside and one side is open. A refractory insulation material may be installed with a certain thickness inside the housing (10), and as the refractory insulation material, a material such as carbon fiber or silicon, which has a high melting point and mechanical strength, may be used so that thermal deformation does not occur due to high flames, etc. by having heat resistance.
[0030] In addition, a vacuum insulation layer that is maintained in a vacuum state may be formed inside the wall of the housing (10) to minimize heat transfer. Since heat transfer such as conduction and convection by air does not occur in a vacuum state, high thermal insulation can be provided.
[0031] This housing (10) is rotatably equipped with a door (11) that opens and closes the front opening.
[0032] The above shelf (20) is installed horizontally one by one at regular intervals in the vertical direction inside the housing (10) to accommodate secondary batteries (A). It may be installed to allow sliding access to and from the housing (10) through an open side of the housing (10), or it may be installed in a fixed horizontal form inside the housing (10) without sliding access. Since this shelf (20) is configured in the form of a horizontal flat plate, there is no space within the shelf (20) itself to store fire extinguishing agents, etc.
[0033] And, the shelf (20) normally maintains a flat shape with the entire edge open, and when a fire is detected, the entire height of the edge changes to a container shape with the top surface open so that the fire extinguishing agent can be filled inside.
[0034] To explain in more detail, the shelf (20) includes a tubular water tank (50) comprising a bottom portion (51) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a wall portion (52) connected to the edge of the bottom portion (51). When a fire is detected, air is filled into the tubular water tank (50) and it expands, thereby changing into a container shape with an open upper surface.
[0035] The above-mentioned tubular tank (50) contracts when air escapes from the inside and expands when air is filled inside. When air is filled inside, it takes the form of a container with an open top surface, and when there is no air inside, it becomes a flattened state.
[0036] To elaborate, the tubular tank (50) is composed of a square bottom part (51) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a wall part (52) that stands upright from the edge of the bottom part (51). Before air is supplied, the bottom part (51) and the wall part (52) are in a contracted state and are placed flat on the upper surface of the shelf (20), but when air is supplied, the bottom part (51) and the wall part (52) expand tightly to form a space inside that can accommodate a secondary battery (A).
[0037] Such a tubular water tank (50) is made of a fire-resistant material that can withstand fire.
[0038] Meanwhile, the shelf (20) may include a curtain-type tank (60) instead of a tube-type tank (50).
[0039] The above curtain-type water tank (60) is composed of a wall portion (61) whose lower portion is connected to the upper surface of a shelf (20), and a cylinder (62) connected to the wall portion (61).
[0040] In this curtain-type water tank (60), when a fire is detected, the cylinder (62) operates to vary the height of the wall (61), changing it into a container shape with an open top surface.
[0041] To explain in more detail, the lower part of the wall (61) is firmly attached to the upper edge of the shelf (20) so that the fire extinguishing agent does not leak even if the agent is supplied into the wall (61), and the material is made of heat-resistant waterproof fabric so that it can withstand flames or high temperatures in the event of a fire. Also, the cylinder (62) can be configured as an air cylinder. Here, an air cylinder refers to a cylinder in which the piston rod moves forward and backward as air flows in or out.
[0042] At this time, a square frame-shaped lifting frame (61a) is fixed to the top of the wall (61) of the curtain-type water tank (60). When a fire is detected, the cylinder (62) is activated, and the rod of the cylinder (62) moves upward. The lifting frame (61a) connected to the end of the rod moves upward, pulling the wall (61) upward, thereby transforming it into an open-top container shape that can accommodate a fire extinguishing agent inside.
[0043] Meanwhile, the above curtain-type water tank (60) may be composed of a wall portion (61) whose lower portion is connected to the upper surface of a shelf (20), a cylinder (62) connected to the wall portion (61), a lower frame (63), and an upper frame (64).
[0044] The above wall (61) is made of a heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and its lower portion is connected to the lower frame (63).
[0045] The lower frame (63) is connected to the wall (61) and is formed in the shape of a square frame, closely adhering to the upper edge of the shelf (20).
[0046] The upper frame (64) is connected to the upper part of the wall (61) and is formed in the shape of a square frame. The upper frame (64) and the lower frame (63) are normally interlocked and attached to each other.
[0047] Meanwhile, when the curtain-type water tank (60) includes a wall (61), a lower frame (63), and an upper frame (64), the cylinder (62) adopts a gas cylinder. The gas cylinder is installed such that both ends are connected to the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64), and the gas cylinders facing each other are installed to cross in an X shape. The gas cylinder is a type of cylinder in which gas is filled inside a sealed cylinder with a constant pressure difference from the external pressure, and when the constraint on the piston rod is released, the piston rod naturally advances (extends) due to the pressure difference.
[0048] Accordingly, normally the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are interlocked and attached to each other, but when a fire occurs, the interlock is released by the control unit (40) and the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are separated. When the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are separated, the upper frame (64) rises by the force of the cylinder (62) itself, which is composed of a gas cylinder, to form a wall, thereby allowing the fire extinguishing agent to be filled inside and transforming into a container shape with an open top surface.
[0049] That is, when the fire detector detects that a fire has occurred in the secondary battery (A), the control unit (40) releases the interlock between the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64), which are attached to each other by an electromagnet method or various other mechanisms, so that the upper frame (64) can move freely in the up and down direction. When this state is reached, the rod extending from the cylinder (62) pushes the upper frame (64) upward, and accordingly, the heat-resistant waterproof fabric stands vertically against the shelf (20) to form a wall.
[0050] The above fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) is intended to quickly suppress a fire by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to an expanded tubular tank (50) or a curtain-type tank (60) with a wall (61) when a fire occurs in the secondary battery (A), thereby causing the secondary battery (A) to be submerged in the fire extinguishing agent.
[0051] The fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) comprises a fire extinguishing agent tank (31), a main pipe (32) connected to the fire extinguishing agent tank (31), a plurality of branch pipes (33) branching from the main pipe (32), a valve (34) for opening and closing the branch pipes (33), and a plurality of nozzles (35) each provided in the plurality of branch pipes (33).
[0052] The above fire extinguishing agent tank (31) is installed at the top of the interior of the housing (10) with the fire extinguishing agent stored therein, and supplies the fire extinguishing agent through a branch pipe (33) into a tubular water tank (50) or a curtain-type water tank (60) on the upper surface of a shelf (20) installed spaced apart in the vertical direction.
[0053] Here, it is stated that the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) is installed at the top inside the housing (10), but it is not necessarily limited to being installed only inside the housing (10) and may be installed outside the housing (10).
[0054] One end of the main pipe (32) is connected to the fire extinguishing agent tank (31), and the other end extends to the bottom of the housing (10).
[0055] The branch pipe (33) branches off from the main pipe (32) to guide the fire extinguishing agent toward the plurality of tubular tanks (50) or the curtain tank (60), and is positioned on the upper side of each of the plurality of shelves (20) provided in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the branch pipe (33) is located on the upper side of the tubular tank (50) or curtain tank (60) that is fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20).
[0056] Here, the branch pipe (33) may be installed on the upper side of the shelf (20), but it may also be installed in a form embedded within the shelf (20). That is, if the shelf (20) has a structure that is horizontally fixed inside the housing (10) without sliding in and out, it is also possible to configure the branch pipe (33) in a form embedded within the shelf (20).
[0057] The above valve (34) is installed at the connection point between the main pipe (32) and the branch pipe (33) and opens and closes the branch pipe (33) according to a signal from the control unit (40). Therefore, when the valve (34) is opened, the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) flows into the branch pipe (33) through the main pipe (32), and when the valve (34) is closed, the fire extinguishing agent cannot flow into the branch pipe (33).
[0058] The above nozzle (35) is provided in one or more places in the branch pipe (33) and, when the valve (34) is opened, sprays the fire extinguishing agent supplied from the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) toward the secondary battery (A) in the tube-type water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60) located below. Due to the fire extinguishing agent sprayed in this way, the secondary battery (A) stored in the tube-type water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60) becomes submerged in the fire extinguishing agent.
[0059] As described above, if the shelf (20) has a structure that is fixed horizontally inside the housing (10) without sliding in and out, the fire extinguishing agent sprayed from the lower nozzle (35) is filled into the tubular water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60).
[0060] When the entire secondary battery (A) is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent filled in the tubular water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60) and the secondary battery is not exposed outside the fire extinguishing agent, the control unit (40) receives a signal at this time from the fire and water level detector (70) and closes the valve (34) so that the fire extinguishing agent is no longer supplied to the tubular water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60). That is, the control unit (40) receives the water level of the fire extinguishing agent filled in the tubular water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60) from the fire and water level detector (70) and closes the valve (34) when the entire secondary battery (A) is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent.
[0061] The above fire and water level detector (70) detects the occurrence of a fire in the secondary battery (A) using a temperature sensor, gas sensor, flame sensor, etc., and transmits a fire detection signal to the control unit (40), and also transmits the water level of the fire extinguishing agent supplied to the secondary battery (A) to the control unit (40).
[0062] Accordingly, it is preferable that the fire and water level detector (70) be installed in a location where fire detection and water level measurement are easily performed, such as on the edge right next to the shelf (20) where the tubular water tank (50) or curtain-type water tank (60) is installed, on the upper surface of the bottom part (51) of the tubular water tank (50), or inside the curtain-type water tank (40).
[0063] Meanwhile, the fire and water level detector (70) of the present invention includes a fire detection sensor and a water level detection sensor comprising a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a flame sensor, etc., and the fire detection sensor and the water level detection sensor may be installed separately in different locations, but the fire detection sensor and the water level detection sensor may also be manufactured as a single unit product and installed in the same location.
[0064] In addition, the fire and water level detector (70) is manufactured to be equal to or longer than the height of the wall (52) of the tubular water tank (50) and the wall (61) of the curtain-type water tank (60) so that sensing is not obstructed by the wall (52, 61).
[0065] The above air supply unit (80) supplies air to the bottom part (51) and the wall part (52) of the tubular water tank (50).
[0066] This air supply unit (80) supplies air to a tubular water tank (50) in which a secondary battery (A) is placed on top and is fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) in a contracted state, thereby expanding the bottom part (51) and wall part (52) of the tubular water tank (50).
[0067] Here, if the cylinder (62) of the curtain-type water tank (60) is configured as an air cylinder and the lifting frame (61a) provided on the rod of the cylinder (62) rises to pull up the heat-resistant waterproof cloth and form a wall (61), the rod of the cylinder (62) may advance by the air provided by the air supply unit (80) to lift the heat-resistant waterproof cloth, thereby forming a wall (61).
[0068] To elaborate, the air supply unit (80) supplies air to the tubular water tank (50) when a fire occurs, so that it becomes a rectangular shape with an open top surface, and is configured to include an air pump (81), a main tube (82) through which air generated from the air pump (81) flows, and a plurality of branch tubes (83) branching from the main tube (82).
[0069] The above air pump (81) is installed on the lower inner side of the housing (10) to generate a high-pressure air flow. This air pump (81) is operated by the control unit (40) which receives a fire detection signal from the fire and water level detector (70).
[0070] To explain in more detail, the control unit (40) can operate the air supply unit (80) and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) by sending a signal to them. In particular, the control unit (40) operates the air pump (81) of the air supply unit (80) and the valve (34) of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to take prompt action when a fire occurs in the secondary battery (A).
[0071] The above main tube (82) is a tube-shaped tube made of a hard or soft material through which high-pressure air generated from the air pump (81) flows.
[0072] The branch tube (83) may be made of a hard material or may be made of a soft material that is free to bend or fold and formed into a tube shape that communicates with the main tube (82), so that high-pressure air provided from the main tube (82) flows inside. This branch tube (83) is provided with an inlet (83a) at the end for injecting air into the tubular water tank (50).
[0073] The above injection port (83a) is provided at the end of the branch tube (83) and at the bottom part (51) of the tubular water tank (50) when the water tank in the present invention is adopted as a tubular water tank (50), so that high-pressure air flowing through the branch tube (83) passes through the bottom part (51) and fills the entire tubular water tank (50) at a rapid speed, thereby rapidly expanding the tubular water tank (50).
[0074] Meanwhile, the branch tube (83) may be installed on the shelf (20) in a manner that it is embedded inside the bottom plate of the shelf (20), or it may be installed on the bottom surface of the shelf (20) without being embedded in the shelf (20).
[0075] Meanwhile, the present invention allows for measuring the temperature at a specific point by installing a plurality of temperature sensors (12) at regular intervals inside the housing (10). By doing so, the temperature of each section inside the housing (10) can be determined, thereby allowing for an understanding of the overall flow of temperature changes inside the housing (10) and making it easier to determine whether a fire has occurred in the secondary battery or if a fire is imminent.
[0076] Then, the temperature value obtained by the temperature sensor (12) is transmitted to the control unit (40), and subsequently, the control unit (40) transmits the information to a mobile terminal (90) connected via a wired or wireless communication network, and remote operation of the air supply unit (80) and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) is possible through this mobile terminal (90).
[0077] That is, even if there are no people inside the laboratory where the secondary battery test chamber is installed and only people outside the laboratory, those people can check whether a fire has occurred or is imminent in the secondary battery through their mobile terminal (90), and if a fire has occurred or is imminent, they can operate the application installed on the mobile terminal (90) to send an operation signal for the air pump (81) of the air supply unit (80) and an opening signal for the valve (34) of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to the control unit (40), thereby supplying air to the tubular water tank (50) and spraying the fire extinguishing agent from the nozzle (35).
[0078] Meanwhile, the present invention allows the door (11) to be locked so that it does not open from the housing (10) even if an external force acts on the door (11) when the average value of the temperature measured by a plurality of temperature sensors (12) reaches a certain temperature while the door (11) is closed.
[0079] As described above, the present invention applies a water tank or wall that can be raised or lowered and expanded around a shelf where a secondary battery is placed, thereby allowing the secondary battery to perform various performance and safety tests on a flat shelf while the water tank is in a contracted state under normal conditions, which can maintain a uniform temperature distribution inside the chamber and improve the reliability of the test. Furthermore, in the event of a fire precursor or fire occurring due to thermal runaway of the secondary battery during the test, the water tank expands and the area around the shelf deforms into a deep drawer shape, allowing water or a fire extinguishing agent to be placed on the shelf where the secondary battery is placed, thereby preventing the fire or rapidly suppressing the fire.
[0080] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. Explanation of the symbols
[0081] 10: Housing 11: Door 12: Temperature sensor 20: Shelf 30: Fire extinguishing agent supply unit 31: Fire extinguishing agent tank 32: Main pipe 33: Branch pipe 34: Valve 35: Nozzle 40: Control unit 50: Tubular tank 51: Floor section 52: Wall section 60: Curtain-type tank 61: Wall-mounted 61a: Lifting frame 62: Cylinder 63: Lower frame 64: Upper frame 70: Fire and water level detector 80: Air supply unit 81: Air pump 82: Main tube 83: Branch tube 83a: Inlet 90: Mobile device
Claims
Claim 1 A secondary battery temperature test chamber for testing the performance and safety of a secondary battery under constant temperature conditions inside a chamber, comprising: a housing (10) having a door (11) installed to open and close the opening surface; at least one shelf (20) installed inside the housing (10) on which a secondary battery (A) is placed, which normally maintains a flat shape with the entire edge open so that the air flow inside the chamber is not obstructed and a uniform temperature distribution is maintained, and which changes into a container shape with the top surface open so that the entire height of the edge is deformed by raising a variable means provided on the edge when a fire is detected, so that a fire extinguishing agent can be filled inside; a fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) that supplies the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf (20) when a fire is detected so that the secondary battery (A) is submerged in the fire extinguishing agent; and a control unit (40) that operates the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to supply or cut off the supply of the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf (20). Claim 2 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 1, wherein the shelf (20) comprises a tubular water tank (50) consisting of a bottom portion (51) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a wall portion (52) connected to the edge of the bottom portion (51), and wherein, upon detection of fire, the tubular water tank (50) is filled with air and expanded to transform into a container shape with an open upper surface. Claim 3 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 1, wherein the shelf (20) comprises a curtain-type tank (60) including a wall portion (61) whose lower portion is connected to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a cylinder (62) connected to the wall portion (61), wherein when a fire is detected, the cylinder (62) operates to vary the height of the wall portion (61) so that it changes into a container shape with an open upper surface. Claim 4 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 3, characterized in that the wall portion (61) of the curtain-type tank (60) is made of a heat-resistant waterproof fabric and the cylinder (62) is made of an air cylinder. Claim 5 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 3, wherein the wall portion (61) of the curtain-type water tank (60) is made of a heat-resistant waterproof fabric and the cylinder (62) is made of a gas cylinder, wherein a lower frame (63) is provided to which the lower portion of the wall portion (61) is connected to the upper edge of the shelf (20), and an upper frame (64) is provided to which the upper portion of the wall portion (61) is connected, and the cylinder (62) has both ends connected to the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64), respectively, so that normally the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are interlocked and attached to each other, but in the event of a fire, the interlock is released by the control unit (40) so that the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are separated, and then the upper frame (64) rises by the force of the cylinder (62) to form a wall, thereby changing into a container shape with an open upper surface. Claim 6 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) comprises: a fire extinguishing agent tank (31) in which a fire extinguishing agent is stored; a main pipe (32) connected to the fire extinguishing agent tank (31); one or more branch pipes (33) branched from the main pipe (32) to guide the fire extinguishing agent toward the shelf (20); a valve (34) that opens and closes the branch pipe (33) according to a signal from the control unit (40); and a nozzle (35) provided in the branch pipe (33) to spray the fire extinguishing agent supplied from the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) toward the secondary battery (A) when the valve (34) is opened. Claim 7 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 6, further comprising a fire and water level detector (70) that detects when a fire occurs in the secondary battery (A) and transmits a fire detection signal to the control unit (40), and also transmits the water level of the fire extinguishing agent supplied to the secondary battery (A) to the control unit (40). Claim 8 delete Claim 9 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 6, further comprising an air supply unit (80) for supplying air to the tubular water tank (50), wherein the air supply unit (80) comprises: an air pump (81) operated by an operation signal of a control unit (40) that receives a fire detection signal from the fire and water level detector (70); a main tube (82) through which air generated from the air pump (81) flows; and one or more branch tubes (83) branched from the main tube (82) and having an inlet (83a) at the end for supplying air to the tubular water tank (50). Claim 10 A secondary battery temperature test chamber according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of temperature sensors (12) are installed in the internal space of the housing (10) to measure the temperature at a corresponding point, the temperature value obtained by the temperature sensors (12) is transmitted to a mobile terminal (90) via a wired or wireless communication network, and the operation of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) is possible through the mobile terminal (90).
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