Energy storage devices and energy storage systems

Abstract

An energy storage device with enhanced cooling efficiency and improved appropriate coolant supply capability is disclosed. According to the present invention, the energy storage device for achieving the purpose includes: at least one battery rack having at least two battery packs; a container configured to accommodate the at least one battery rack; and an air conditioner including: a coolant supply unit including at least two injection units, each of which includes a nozzle having a discharge port through which the coolant is discharged, and the at least two injection units are configured to be able to individually switch the discharge direction of the coolant toward any one of the at least two battery packs and individually increase or decrease the discharge amount of the coolant; a control unit configured to adjust the discharge direction and discharge amount of the coolant of each of the at least two injection units; and a coolant suction unit configured to suck the heated coolant inside the container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an energy storage device and an energy storage system, and more particularly, to an energy storage device and an energy storage system having improved cooling efficiency and appropriate coolant supply capability.

[0002] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0001059 filed in Korea on January 3, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] Currently commercialized secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have attracted more attention due to their advantages over nickel-based secondary batteries, such as free charge and discharge due to almost no memory effect, extremely low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0004] Lithium secondary batteries primarily use lithium oxides and carbonaceous materials as the positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively. They consist of an electrode assembly, which includes a positive plate coated with the positive electrode active material and a negative plate coated with the negative electrode active material, with a separator interposed between the plates; and an exterior, or battery pouch exterior, which hermetically contains the electrode assembly and electrolyte.

[0005] In recent years, secondary batteries have become widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices, but also in medium- and large-sized devices such as vehicles and energy storage systems. When used in such medium-sized devices, a large number of secondary batteries are electrically connected to increase capacity and output. Pouch-type secondary batteries, in particular, are widely used in these medium- and large-sized devices due to their ease of stacking.

[0006] At the same time, in recent years, with the increasing demand for large-capacity structures and the use as an energy storage source, the demand for energy storage devices including multiple battery racks is increasing, each battery rack having: multiple battery packs, each of which accommodates a plurality of secondary batteries therein; a container for storing the multiple battery racks therein; and an air conditioner for cooling the multiple battery racks.

[0007] In addition, in a conventional general air conditioner of an energy storage device, temperature deviations inevitably occur between the battery racks and between the battery packs depending on the positions of the battery racks and the battery packs.

[0008] For example, conventional, general air conditioning methods in battery systems cool the surface of the battery packs while supplying cold cooling air to the upper or lower portions of the container walls. However, this air conditioning method has the problem of potentially increasing temperature variations among multiple battery packs, depending on the operating conditions of the energy storage device (weather, charge / discharge mode, and type of air conditioning). Consequently, any battery pack with high temperatures among the multiple battery packs may deteriorate, shortening its lifespan and increasing the maintenance costs of the energy storage device.

[0009] Thus, there is a need for a method of effectively reducing temperature variations among a plurality of battery packs accommodated in a container. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the related art, and thus, the present disclosure is directed to providing an energy storage device and an energy storage system having improved cooling efficiency and appropriate coolant supply capability.

[0012] These and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description and will become more fully apparent through the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.In addition, it will be readily understood that the objects and advantages of the present disclosure can be achieved by the measures shown in the appended claims and their combinations.

[0013] Technical Solutions

[0014] In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an energy storage device, the energy storage device comprising:

[0015] at least one battery rack having at least two battery packs;

[0016] a container configured to house the at least one battery rack; and

[0017] An air conditioner is provided with a coolant supply part and a coolant suction part, the coolant supply part includes: at least two blowing units, each of the at least two blowing units has a nozzle provided with a discharge hole, the coolant is discharged through the discharge hole, and the at least two blowing units are configured to individually switch the discharge direction of the coolant toward any one of the at least two battery packs and individually increase or decrease the discharge amount of the coolant; and a control unit configured to adjust the discharge direction and discharge amount of the coolant of each of the at least two blowing units, and the coolant suction part is configured to suck the heated coolant inside the container.

[0018] Furthermore, the control unit may be configured to adjust a blowing direction of each of the at least two blowing units so that the coolant is concentrated only to some of the at least two battery packs exhibiting a relatively high temperature.

[0019] In addition, the control unit may be configured to adjust so that a discharge amount of the blow-out unit that discharges the coolant toward a battery pack exhibiting a relatively higher temperature among the at least two battery packs is greater than discharge amounts of the remaining blow-out units.

[0020] In addition, the coolant supply part may include an air supply duct having a moving passage for moving the coolant to the blow-out unit, and

[0021] The coolant suction portion may include a suction pipe having a suction hole for re-sucking the heated coolant inside the container, and the suction pipe is configured to extend so that the sucked coolant is moved to the outside of the container.

[0022] Furthermore, the blowing unit may include:

[0023] a fixing member fixed to the air supply duct and having an inlet formed to communicate with the air supply duct;

[0024] a main body coupled to the fixing member and configured to have a curved surface capable of rotating in a coupled state;

[0025] a blow-out nozzle having a discharge hole formed by opening one end of the body to discharge coolant; and

[0026] A shutter is configured to movably cover at least a portion of the discharge hole of the blow-out nozzle.

[0027] In addition, the blow-out nozzle may include an elongated tube configured to change a length in a discharge direction according to a position of any one of the at least two battery packs.

[0028] In addition, the battery rack may include a guide member having an inclined wall configured to protrude outward based on the position of the battery pack so that the coolant around the battery pack is guided to move to the battery pack.

[0029] Also, in the guide member, the inclined walls may be connected using a hinge structure so that an outward protrusion degree of the inclined walls changes based on a position of the battery pack.

[0030] Furthermore, the guide member may include a conductive portion made of a thermally conductive material and configured to extend from an inner end of the inclined wall into the battery rack.

[0031] In addition, the suction duct may be configured to be at least partially movable so that at least a portion of the suction hole is moved to another position.

[0032] In another aspect of the present invention, an energy storage system is provided. The energy storage system includes at least two of the above energy storage devices.

[0033] Beneficial effects

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the present disclosure includes a coolant supply part, the coolant supply part includes: at least two blowing units, the at least two blowing units are configured to individually switch the discharge direction of the coolant toward any one of the at least two battery packs, and individually increase or decrease the discharge amount of the coolant; and a control unit, the control unit is configured to control the discharge direction and discharge amount of the coolant of each of the at least two blowing units, so that more coolant can be brought into contact with a specific battery pack among the multiple battery packs that requires centralized cooling.

[0035] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the control unit is configured to adjust the blowing direction of each of the at least two blowing units so that the coolant is concentrated only on those battery packs of the at least two battery packs that exhibit relatively high temperatures, it is possible to locally cool specific battery packs that are relatively higher in temperature than the remaining battery packs. In other words, in the present disclosure, since only those specific battery packs that require concentrated cooling among the multiple battery packs can be rapidly cooled, temperature deviations of the battery packs can be reduced, effectively preventing degradation of the battery packs due to rapid cooling.

[0036] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the blow-out unit includes: a fixing member fixed to the air supply duct and having an inlet formed to communicate with the interior of the air supply duct; a main body coupled to the fixing member and having a curved surface so as to be rotatable in a coupled state; a blow-out nozzle formed by opening one end of the main body to discharge coolant; and a gate configured to movably cover at least a portion of the opening of the blow-out nozzle, the discharge direction and discharge amount of the coolant discharged by the blow-out nozzle can be effectively controlled. Thus, in the present disclosure, the battery pack that requires centralized cooling of the at least two battery packs can be cooled more quickly.

[0037] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in the battery rack, a guide member having an outwardly sloping wall projecting based on the position of a battery pack is provided in the housing portion where the battery pack is mounted, thereby guiding the coolant toward the battery pack. This effectively delivers the coolant to battery packs located relatively far from the blower unit among the multiple battery packs. In other words, the present disclosure solves the problem of localized cooling efficiency decreasing as the cooling air, after being discharged from the blower unit, is significantly diffused in all directions due to the long travel distance of the cooling air.

[0038] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide member is connected using a hinge structure, allowing the outward protrusion of the inclined wall to be varied based on the position of the battery pack. This allows the amount of coolant contacting a particular battery pack to be increased by expanding the inclined wall of the guide member. Thus, the present disclosure solves the problem of localized cooling efficiency degradation due to the distance between the blowing unit and the battery pack.

[0039] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, since the suction duct is configured so that the position of the suction hole is movable, it is possible to control the concentration of coolant to the battery racks that require more cooling. This effectively reduces temperature variations between the battery racks. Ultimately, it effectively extends the service life of the energy storage device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 2 is a perspective view schematically showing some components of an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery pack employed in an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 4 is a view showing internal components of an air conditioner employed at the energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 5 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a blowing unit employed at an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 6 FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a blowing unit employed in an energy storage device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 7 FIG1 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a battery rack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 8 and Figure 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating some components of a battery rack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the internal structure of an energy storage device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 11 is a perspective view schematically showing some components of an energy storage device according to Comparative Example 1 of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 12 is a table showing specifications of a simulation to which an experimental example of the present disclosure is applied.

[0052] Figure 13 is a table showing simulation analysis results of Example 1 of the experimental examples of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 14 is a table showing simulation analysis results of Comparative Example 1 of the experimental examples of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as limited to the general meaning and dictionary meaning, but should be interpreted based on the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation.

[0055] Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are only preferred examples for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that other equivalent solutions and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a perspective view schematically showing some components of an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 : is a perspective view schematically showing a battery pack used in an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is a view showing internal components of an air conditioner employed at the energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] refer to Figures 1 to 4 The energy storage device 400 of the present disclosure may include at least one battery rack 300 , a container 410 for accommodating the battery rack 300 , and an air conditioner 420 .

[0058] Here, the battery rack 300 includes a plurality of battery packs 200 arranged in a row in the vertical direction and a battery rack housing 310 for accommodating the plurality of battery packs 200. Here, with respect to the battery rack 300 of the present disclosure, a plurality of battery packs 200 arranged in a row in the vertical direction and mounted in the accommodating portion 312 of the battery rack housing 310 is defined as one battery rack 300. Furthermore, one battery rack housing 310 may include a plurality of battery packs 200.

[0059] First, the plurality of battery packs 200 may be configured to be accommodated in the battery holder housing 310 so as to be arranged in an up-down direction. Furthermore, the plurality of battery packs 200 may include a battery pack housing 210 and a plurality of secondary batteries (not shown) disposed inside the battery pack housing 210 and stacked in one direction.

[0060] Specifically, the secondary battery may be a pouch-type secondary battery. Specifically, the pouch-type secondary battery may include an electrode assembly (not shown), an electrolyte (not shown), and a pouch.

[0061] Each secondary battery can be arranged to stand upright on the ground, with the two wide sides located in the front-to-back direction and the sealed portion located in the upper, lower, left, and right directions. In other words, each secondary battery can be configured to stand upright in the upper and lower directions. Meanwhile, in this specification, unless otherwise specified, the upper, lower, front, rear, left, and right directions will be defined based on viewing from the F direction.

[0062] Here, the bag can be configured to have a concave-shaped receiving portion. In addition, the electrode assembly and the electrolyte can be accommodated in the receiving portion. In addition, each bag includes an outer insulating layer, a metal layer, and an inner adhesive layer, and the inner adhesive layers can adhere to each other at the edges of the bag to form a seal. In addition, a platform portion can be formed at the left and right ends of the secondary battery, respectively, and a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead can be formed at the platform portion.

[0063] In addition, the electrode assembly is an assembly of an electrode plate coated with an electrode active material and a separator, and at least one positive electrode plate and at least one negative electrode plate may be provided in the electrode assembly, with the separator interposed between the at least one positive electrode plate and the at least one negative electrode plate. In addition, a positive electrode tab may be provided on the positive electrode plate of the electrode assembly, and at least one positive electrode tab may be connected to a positive electrode lead.

[0064] Here, one end of the positive electrode lead is connected to a positive electrode tab, and the other end is exposed outside the pouch, and the exposed portion may serve as an electrode terminal of a secondary battery, for example, a positive electrode terminal of the secondary battery.

[0065] In addition, a negative electrode tab is provided on the negative electrode plate of the electrode assembly, and at least one negative electrode tab may be connected to a negative electrode lead. Furthermore, one end of the negative electrode lead may be connected to the negative electrode tab, while the other end is exposed outside the pouch, and the exposed portion may serve as an electrode terminal of the secondary battery, for example, a negative electrode terminal of the secondary battery.

[0066] In addition, the battery pack 200 may include at least one bus bar (not shown) configured to electrically interconnect the plurality of secondary batteries. Specifically, the bus bar may be made of a conductive metal such as copper, aluminum, nickel, or the like.

[0067] At the same time, refer again Figure 2 The battery holder housing 310 may include a receiving portion 312 having a storage space with one open side to receive and store the plurality of battery packs 200. The plurality of receiving portions 312 may be configured such that the plurality of battery packs 200 are mounted in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the receiving portions 312 may be configured such that the plurality of battery packs 200 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals.

[0068] In addition, each of the plurality of receiving portions 312 may include a shelf frame (not shown) configured to allow the battery pack 200 to be mounted on an upper portion thereof. Specifically, the shelf frame may have a plate shape extending in a direction (horizontally) perpendicular to the outer wall of the battery holder housing 310 extending in the vertical direction.

[0069] In addition, the battery pack 200 may include a temperature sensor 270 and a battery pack BMS 230. The temperature sensor 270 may be configured to measure the internal temperature of the battery pack 200. For example, the temperature sensor 270 may be connected to a sensing line 271 to communicate with the battery pack BMS 230. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 270 may be connected to a control unit 424 (described later) through a sensing line. Figure 4 ).

[0070] In addition, the battery pack BMS 230 may be configured to transmit the temperature information of the temperature sensor 270 through wireless communication. To this end, the battery pack BMS 230 may include an NFC wireless communication unit, a Bluetooth wireless communication unit, or an RFID wireless communication unit. The battery pack BMS 230 may be configured to wirelessly communicate with the battery rack BMS (not shown). For example, the battery pack BMS 230 may receive the internal temperature information of the battery pack 200 from the temperature sensor 270, and transmit the temperature information to the battery rack BMS in a wireless communication method. Alternatively, the battery pack BMS 230 may receive the internal temperature information of the battery pack 200 from the temperature sensor 270, and transmit the temperature information to the control unit 424 ( explained later) in a wireless communication method. Figure 4 ).

[0071] Furthermore, the battery pack housing 310 may include a battery rack BMS (not shown) configured to enable wireless communication with the battery pack BMS 230. The battery rack BMS may have a receiver unit (not shown) for wireless signals configured to receive temperature information from the battery pack BMS 230. Furthermore, the battery rack BMS may receive information such as current and voltage from the battery pack BMS 230.

[0072] Meanwhile, the container 410 may have an interior space to accommodate at least one battery rack 300. The container 410 may have an outer wall to form the exterior of the energy storage device 400. For example, the container 410 may be a general type of container in which items can be stored. The container will not be described in detail here.

[0073] Meanwhile, the air conditioner 420 can control the supply and discharge of coolant through the temperature sensor 270 and the control unit 424. The air conditioner 420 can control the supply and discharge amount of coolant (not shown) based on the temperature of the battery pack 200 measured by the temperature sensor 270. When the coolant (e.g., cooled air) supplied from the air conditioner 420 comes into contact with the battery pack 200, the temperature of the coolant increases, and the heated coolant can be sucked in and discharged again by the air conditioner 420.

[0074] Specifically, the air conditioner 420 may include a coolant supply part 421 and a coolant suction part 426. More specifically, the coolant supply part 421 may include an air supply duct 425, at least two blowing units 422, and a control unit 424.

[0075] First, the air supply duct 425 may be configured to move the coolant having a lower temperature than the battery pack 200 to the blow-out unit 422. The air supply duct 425 may have a moving passage through which the coolant moves. Figure 2 As shown in , the air supply pipe 425 can be connected to an external heat exchange device (not shown) that is configured to cool the heated coolant. That is, the air supply pipe 425 can be formed to extend from the heat exchange device and pass through the outer wall of the container 410.

[0076] Figure 5 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a blowing unit employed at an energy storage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Together Figures 1 to 4 Reference together Figure 5 Each of the blowing units 422 may include a nozzle having a discharge hole K1 through which the coolant is discharged. The nozzle may have a discharge hole K1 that protrudes in the discharge direction so that the discharged coolant moves mainly in one direction. The blowing unit 422 may discharge the coolant toward any one of the at least two battery packs 200. In addition, each of the at least two blowing units 422 may be configured to independently switch the discharge direction of the coolant and independently increase or decrease the discharge amount of the coolant.

[0078] Furthermore, the control unit 424 may be configured to control the direction and amount of coolant discharged from each of the at least two blowing units 422. For example, the control unit 424 may increase or decrease the opening of the discharge hole K1 of the blowing unit 422. Furthermore, the control unit 424 may move the nozzle of the blowing unit 422 toward any one of the at least two battery packs 200.

[0079] In addition, if the coolant supplied from the coolant supply portion 421 is heated by absorbing the heat of the battery pack 200, the coolant suction portion 426 may be configured to suck the heated coolant. For example, the coolant suction portion 426 may include a suction pipe 428 and a suction hole K2 formed in the suction pipe 428. The present disclosure is not necessarily limited to Figure 2 The suction pipe 428 has the structural features shown in FIG. 4 . If necessary, the suction pipe 428 can be configured to extend into the interior space of the container 410 .

[0080] Furthermore, the air conditioner 420 may be configured to be connected to an external heat exchange device (not shown). That is, the air conditioner 420 may receive cooled coolant from the heat exchange device or may send heated coolant to the heat exchange device. The heat exchange device may lower the temperature of the coolant by condensing or radiating heat from the heated coolant received from the air conditioner 420.

[0081] Therefore, according to this construction of the present disclosure, since the present disclosure includes: a coolant supply part 421, which has at least two blowing units 422, and the at least two blowing units 422 are configured to individually switch the discharge direction of the coolant toward any one of the at least two battery packs 200, and individually increase or decrease the discharge amount of the coolant; and a control unit 424, which is configured to control the discharge direction and discharge amount of the coolant of each battery pack in the multiple battery packs 200, so that more coolant can be brought into contact with the specific battery pack 200 in the multiple battery packs 200 that requires centralized cooling.

[0082] For example, each of the at least two blowing units 422 can discharge coolant to a battery pack 200 exhibiting the highest temperature among the plurality of battery packs 200, thereby rapidly cooling the high-temperature battery pack 200. Thus, it is possible to minimize temperature deviations between the at least two battery packs 200 accommodated in the battery rack 300, thereby preventing the service life of the battery packs 200 from being reduced due to degradation.

[0083] Again together Figure 2 Reference together Figure 4, the control unit 424 of the air conditioner 420 may operate the blower 423 to supply the coolant from the external heat exchange device to the air supply duct 425. In this case, the control unit 424 may receive temperature information of the battery pack 200 from the temperature sensor 270 attached to the battery pack 200 and determine whether to operate the blower 423.

[0084] In addition, the control unit 424 may be configured to adjust the blowing direction of each of the at least two blowing units 422 so that the coolant is concentrated only on some of the at least two battery packs 200 that exhibit relatively high temperatures. For example, if the control unit 424 receives a temperature value higher than a reference value from the temperature sensor 270 provided to each of the at least two battery packs 200, the control unit 424 may allow the coolant to be concentrated only on some of the battery packs 200 that exhibit high temperatures by adjusting the exhaust direction of the at least two blowing units 422 toward the battery pack 200 that exceeds the reference value.

[0085] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, since the control unit 424 is configured to adjust the blowing direction of each of the at least two blowing units 422 so that the coolant is concentrated only on some of the at least two battery packs 200 that exhibit relatively high temperatures, it is possible to perform local cooling on specific battery packs 200 that have a relatively higher temperature than the remaining battery packs 200. That is, in the present disclosure, since only some specific battery packs that require concentrated cooling among the plurality of battery packs 200 can be quickly cooled, it is possible to reduce temperature deviations of the battery packs 200 and effectively prevent degradation of the battery packs 200 due to rapid cooling.

[0086] Furthermore, the control unit 424 may be configured to adjust such that the discharge amount of the blow-out unit 422 that discharges the coolant toward the battery pack 200 exhibiting a relatively higher temperature among the at least two battery packs 200 is greater than the discharge amounts of the remaining blow-out units 422 .

[0087] For example, if the control unit 424 receives a temperature value higher than a reference value from the temperature sensor 270 provided to each of at least two battery packs 200, the control unit 424 may increase the amount of coolant supplied to some battery packs 200 exhibiting high temperature by adjusting the discharge amount of at least two blowing units 422 toward the battery pack 200 that exceeds the reference temperature value.

[0088] At the same time, refer again Figure 2The suction pipe 428 of the coolant suction portion 426 may have a movement space formed therein so that the coolant inside the container 410 can move to the outside of the container 410, and the suction pipe 428 may have a shape extending to the outside of the container 410. In addition, the suction pipe 428 may have a suction hole K2 configured to re-suction the heated coolant.

[0089] Reference again Figure 2 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 The blowing unit 422 may include a fixing member 422a, a main body 422b, a blowing nozzle 422c, and a gate 422d.

[0090] Specifically, the fixing member 422a may be movably fixed to the air supply duct 425. That is, the fixing member 422a may be formed in a portion of the air supply duct 425 where the blow-out unit 422 is to be formed. In addition, the fixing member 422a may be coupled to the outer wall of the air supply duct 425 by bolting or male-female fastening so as to be removable as needed.

[0091] For example, the fixing member 422a may have an annular shape. In addition, the fixing member 422a may be configured to be coupled to an edge portion 425a of an opening formed in the air supply duct 425. The fixing member 422a may have an inlet formed to communicate with the opening of the air supply duct 425.

[0092] In addition, the main body 422b can be configured to be movably coupled to the fixed member 422a. For example, the main body 422b can have a curved surface so that it can rotate while being coupled to the fixed member 422a. In this case, the main body 422b can be configured to be rotatable within a range of 0 to 100 degrees.

[0093] In addition, one end of the main body 422b may be inserted into the air supply duct 425, and the other end may protrude from the air supply duct 425. In addition, the blowing nozzle 422c may be rotated under the control of the control unit 424. For example, the blowing nozzle 422c may include a plurality of servo motors (not shown) provided with rubber rollers or belts.

[0094] In addition, the servo motor can transmit the rotational force of the servo motor to the main body 422b through a rubber roller or a belt, so that the main body 422b rotates. Thus, as the servo motor rotates, the main body 422b of the blow-out nozzle 422c can rotate. In addition, the servo motor can rotate by receiving power from the control unit 424. More specifically, the rotating shaft of the servo motor is connected to the rotating shaft of the rubber roller, and the rubber roller can squeeze the outer surface of the main body 422b according to the rotation of the servo motor. In addition, the main body 422b can rotate by the force transmitted by the rubber roller.

[0095] Furthermore, the blow-out nozzle 422c may be formed so that the end of the main body 422b is open to discharge the coolant. The blow-out nozzle 422c may have a discharge hole K1 formed to communicate with the opening of the air supply duct 425 of the main body 422b. In addition, an outwardly protruding lip 422c1 may be provided around the discharge hole K1 of the blow-out nozzle 422c to guide the discharge direction of the discharged coolant.

[0096] The shutter 422d may be a member configured to be movable to cover at least a portion of the discharge hole K1 of the blowing nozzle 422c. In other words, the shutter 422d may be considered as a baffle that controls the degree of opening and closing of the discharge hole K1 of the blowing nozzle 422c.

[0097] Furthermore, the gate 422d can be controlled by the control unit 424. The gate 422d can open the discharge hole K1 of the blowout nozzle 422c, changing the opening degree from 1% to 100%, thereby increasing the amount of coolant discharged from the blowout nozzle 422c. Alternatively, as a reverse example, the gate 422d can change the opening degree of the discharge hole K1 of the blowout nozzle 422c from 100% to 0%, thereby reducing the amount of coolant discharged from the blowout nozzle 422c. Here, "opening degree" refers to the ratio of the opened area to the total opening area.

[0098] In addition, the gate 422d may be located inside the main body 422b. The gate 422d may have a curved surface that can slide along the inner surface of the main body 422b. The blowing unit 422 may have a movable screw 422d1 that can move the position of the gate 422d. In other words, the gate 422d may be configured to move along the inner surface of the main body 422b by rotating the movable screw 422d1.

[0099] Furthermore, the movable screw 422d1 can be adjusted by the control unit 424. For example, the movable screw 422d1 can be connected to the rotating shaft of a servo motor so as to receive the rotational force of the servo motor (not shown). In addition, the servo motor can receive power from the control unit 424 to control the degree of rotation of the rotating shaft. In other words, the control unit 424 can be configured to adjust the degree of opening and closing of the discharge hole K1 of the blowing nozzle 422c by moving the position of the gate 422d.

[0100] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, since the blow-out unit 422 includes: a fixing member 422a fixed to the air supply duct 425 and having an inlet formed to communicate with the interior of the air supply duct 425; a main body 422b coupled to the fixing member 422a and having a curved surface so as to be rotatable in a coupled state; a blow-out nozzle 422c formed by opening the end of the main body 422b to discharge the coolant; and a gate 422d configured to be movable to cover at least a portion of the opening of the blow-out nozzle 422c, the discharge direction and discharge amount of the coolant discharged by the blow-out nozzle 422c can be effectively controlled. Thus, in the present disclosure, a specific battery pack 200 among the at least two battery packs 200 can be cooled more quickly.

[0101] Figure 6 FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a blowing unit employed in an energy storage device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0102] Together Figure 2 and Figure 4 Reference together Figure 6 ,and Figure 5 Compared to the blowing unit 422 of the embodiment, the blowing unit 422A according to another embodiment may further include an extension tube 422e in the blowing nozzle 422c. The extension tube 422e may be configured to change its length in the discharge direction according to the position of any one of the at least two battery packs 200.

[0103] For example, the extension tube 422e may include three tubes 422e1, 422e2, and 422e3 connected to each other. The three tubes 422e1, 422e2, and 422e3 may be configured to have different diameters. The three tubes 422e1, 422e2, and 422e3 may be configured so that the tube farther from the fixing member 422a has a smaller diameter. Furthermore, among the three tubes 422e1, 422e2, and 422e3, the tube with a relatively smaller diameter may be inserted into the tube with a relatively larger diameter to enable movement.

[0104] For example, the extension tube 422e may include a first tube 422e1, a second tube 422e2, and a third tube 422e3. The extension tube 422e may be configured so that its diameter gradually decreases in the order of the first tube 422e1, the second tube 422e2, and the third tube 422e3. That is, the extension tube 422e may be configured so that the second tube 422e2 is pulled out of the first tube 422e1, and the third tube 422e3 is pulled out of the second tube 422e2, thereby extending the entire tube length. Conversely, the extension tube 422e may be configured so that the third tube 422e3 is inserted into the second tube 422e2, and the second tube 422e2 is inserted into the first tube 422e1, thereby reducing the total tube length.

[0105] Figure 7 Schematically shows a partial perspective view of a battery rack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 and Figure 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating some components of a battery rack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] refer to Figures 7 to 9 ,and Figure 2 Compared to the battery rack 300 of FIG. 1 , a battery rack 300A according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a guide member 430. The guide member 430 may be disposed in the receiving portion 312 of the battery pack 200 to which the battery rack housing 310 is mounted. The guide member 430 may include an inclined wall 432 that protrudes outward based on the position of the battery pack 200 so that the coolant discharged from the blow-out unit 422 is guided to move to the battery pack 200.

[0107] For example, Figure 7 As shown in FIG, the guide member 430 may be disposed in the receiving portion 312 located at the bottom of the battery rack 300 and accommodating the battery pack 200. The guide member 430 may include an inclined wall 432 that protrudes outward based on the position of the battery pack 200 so that the coolant can move to the battery pack 200. Thus, the guide member 430 can reduce the amount of coolant dispersed around the battery pack 200, thereby facilitating effective local cooling.

[0108] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, in the battery rack 300, since the guide member 430 having the inclined wall 432 protruding outward based on the position of the battery pack 200 is provided in the accommodating portion 312 where the battery pack 200 is mounted, the coolant is guided to move to the battery pack 200. Therefore, the coolant can be efficiently delivered to the battery pack 200 located at a relatively long distance from the blow-out unit 422 among the plurality of battery packs 200. In other words, in the present disclosure, by using the guide member 430, it is possible to solve the problem that after the cooling air is discharged from the blow-out unit 422, as the cooling air is greatly diffused in all directions due to its long travel distance, thereby causing a decrease in local cooling efficiency.

[0109] At the same time, again together with Figure 4 Reference together Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the guide member 430, the inclined wall 432 may be configured to be connected using a hinge structure H1 so that the degree of outward protrusion of the inclined wall 432 can be changed based on the position of the battery pack 200. In addition, the rotation of the inclined wall 432 may be controlled by the control unit 424. For example, the rotation axis of the hinge structure H1 of the inclined wall 432 may be connected to a servo motor (not shown). The inclined wall 432 of the guide member 430 may be rotated by the rotation of the servo motor supplied with power by the control unit 424 to be unfolded to protrude outward or folded inward.

[0110] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, since the guide member 430 is connected using the hinge structure H1, the degree of outward protrusion of the inclined wall 432 can be changed based on the position of the battery pack 200. Therefore, by expanding the inclined wall 432 of the guide member 430, the amount of coolant that contacts a specific battery pack 200 can be increased. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the problem of local cooling efficiency decreasing with the distance between the blowing unit 422 and the battery pack 200 can be solved.

[0111] Furthermore, the guide member 430 may include a conductive portion 434. The conductive portion 434 may be made of a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material may be aluminum or copper. The conductive portion 434 may be shaped to extend from the inner end of the inclined wall 432 into the battery holder 300. In other words, the conductive portion 434 may be configured to contact at least a portion of the outer surface of the battery pack 200. Furthermore, the conductive portion 434 may conduct heat received from the battery pack 200 to the inclined wall 432.

[0112] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, since the guide member 430 includes the conductive portion 434 having a thermally conductive material and configured to extend from the inner end of the inclined wall 432 into the battery rack 300, it is possible to cool the rear portion of the battery pack 200 located inside the receiving portion 312 of the battery rack 300. Thus, in the present disclosure, the conductive portion 434 of the guide member 430 can maximize the local cooling efficiency of the battery pack 200.

[0113] Figure 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the internal structure of an energy storage device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] refer to Figure 10 In an energy storage device 400B according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 Unlike the energy storage device 400, the suction pipe 428B may extend into the container 410. Furthermore, the suction pipe 428B may be configured so that the position of the suction hole K2 is movable. For example, the suction pipe 428B may be configured so that at least a portion of the suction pipe 428B can be moved. As the position of a portion of the suction pipe 428B moves, the position of the suction hole K2 formed in the suction pipe 428B may also move.

[0115] For example, in the energy storage device 400B of the present disclosure, when multiple battery racks 300 are provided, the position of the suction hole K2 of the suction duct 428B can be moved closer to the battery rack 300 having a relatively higher temperature, so that the coolant can be concentrated to the battery rack 300 among the multiple battery racks 300 in which the battery packs 200 installed have a relatively higher average temperature.

[0116] At this time, the length of the suction pipe 428B inserted into the container 410 can be controlled to decrease or increase. For example, the suction pipe 428B can be constructed by connecting multiple separate pipes. By using the extrusion device 427 and the push rod 429 connected to the extrusion shaft 427a of the extrusion device 427, the extended length of the suction pipe 428B can be reduced by squeezing the extended end of the suction pipe 428B in one direction.

[0117] On the contrary, by using the push rod 429 connected to the squeezing device 427, the extended length of the suction pipe 428B can be increased by pulling the distal end of the suction pipe 428B in the other direction. At this time, the push rod 429 can be connected to the end of the suction pipe 428B. In addition, the control unit 424 ( Figure 4) can control the movement of a portion of the suction pipe 428B by transmitting an electrical signal to increase or decrease the length of the suction pipe 428B.

[0118] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, since the suction duct 428B is configured so that the position of the suction hole K2 is movable, it is possible to control the concentration of coolant on the battery racks 300 that require more cooling among the multiple battery racks 300. Thus, it is possible to effectively reduce temperature deviations among the multiple battery racks 300. Ultimately, it is possible to effectively extend the service life of the energy storage device 400B.

[0119] Meanwhile, the energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include two or more of the above-mentioned energy storage devices. In addition, the energy storage system may include a control tower that controls charging, discharging, and power interruption of the plurality of energy storage devices.

[0120] Hereinafter, in order to specifically describe the present invention, examples and experimental examples will be described in more detail, but the present disclosure is not limited to the examples and experimental examples. Examples according to the present disclosure can be modified into various different forms, and the scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to the examples described below. The examples of the present disclosure are provided in order to more perfectly explain the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0121] <Example 1>

[0122] The energy storage device 400 according to Example 1 of the present disclosure has Figure 2 The energy storage device 400 shown in is of the same construction as that of Example 1. That is, the energy storage device 400 of Example 1 includes 30 battery racks arranged in a container 410, and 17 battery packs 200 are arranged in the up and down directions in each battery rack 300. In addition, air supply ducts 425 are provided at the left and right top ends of the container 410, and 15 blow-out units for supplying coolant are formed to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals. In addition, suction holes K2 are respectively formed in the front and rear walls of the container 410 so as to suck the heated coolant and discharge the sucked coolant to the outside. In addition, a temperature sensor is provided on a portion of the outer surface of the battery pack 200, which is located at a position close to the inner side of the accommodating portion of the battery rack housing.

[0123] <Comparative Example 1>

[0124] The energy storage device 400C according to Comparative Example 1 of the present disclosure does not include an air supply duct and a blow-out unit, as shown in FIG. Figure 11As shown in , instead, supply holes K3 are formed at the top ends of the front and rear walls of the container 410. In addition, suction holes K2 are formed in the front and rear walls of the container 410, respectively, to suck the heated coolant and discharge the sucked coolant to the outside. The configuration of the other components is the same as that of the energy storage device 400 of Example 1.

[0125] <Experimental Example>

[0126] The cooling performance of the energy storage device according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present disclosure was evaluated by computational fluid dynamics simulation (CFD Simulation, product name: Siemens STAR-CCM+, version: 13.04.010), which simulates the interaction between fluid and gas by computer. The specifications of the application of this simulation are shown in Figure 12 In addition, the simulation results of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 are shown in Figure 13 and Figure 14 in the table.

[0127] First, see Figure 13 and Figure 14 According to the table, when comparing the energy storage devices of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, it was found that the temperature of the battery pack exhibiting the highest temperature in Example 1 was 1.19°C (-3.81%) lower than that of Comparative Example 1. In addition, it was found that the temperature of the battery pack exhibiting the lowest temperature in Example 1 was 0.27°C (-1.01%) lower than that of Comparative Example 1. In addition, it was found that the average temperature of the entire battery pack in Example 1 was 1.09°C (-3.79%) lower than that of Comparative Example 1. In addition, the maximum deviation of the entire battery rack in Example 1 was reduced by 0.6°C (-15.75%) compared to that of Comparative Example 1.

[0128] In summary, compared to Comparative Example 1, which does not include an air supply duct, the energy storage device of Example 1 of the present disclosure was able to reduce the average temperature of the entire battery pack by using an air supply duct with a blower unit. This improved the overall cooling performance of the battery pack attached to the energy storage device. Furthermore, by reducing the maximum deviation across the battery racks, it was found that temperature imbalances between the battery racks were also reduced. In other words, the energy storage device was found to have improved cooling efficiency and adequate cooling air supply capabilities.

[0129] At the same time, although terms indicating directions, such as up, down, left, right, front and rear directions, are used in the specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only used to indicate relative positions for convenience of explanation and may vary based on the position of the observer or object.

[0130] The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, as various changes and modifications within the scope of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0131] Reference numerals

[0132] 400: Energy storage device 300: Battery rack

[0133] 200: Battery pack 310: Battery rack housing

[0134] 410: Container 420: Air Conditioning

[0135] 422: Blowing unit 424: Control unit

[0136] 421: Coolant supply unit 426: Coolant suction unit

[0137] 425: Air supply pipe 428: Suction pipe

[0138] 422a: Fixing member 422b: Main body

[0139] 422c: Blowing nozzle 422d: Gate

[0140] 422e: Extension tube 430: Guide member

[0141] 432: Inclined wall H1: Hinge structure

[0142] 434: Conducting Department

Claims

1. An energy storage device, comprising: at least one battery rack having at least two battery packs; a container configured to receive the at least one battery rack; and an air conditioner, the air conditioner being provided with a coolant supply part and a coolant suction part, the coolant supply part comprising: at least two blowing units, the at least two blowing units respectively having a blowing nozzle provided with a discharge hole, the coolant being discharged through the discharge hole, and the at least two blowing units being configured to individually switch the discharge direction of the coolant toward any one of the at least two battery packs, and individually increase or decrease the discharge amount of the coolant; and a control unit, the control unit being configured to adjust the discharge direction and the discharge amount of the coolant of each of the at least two blowing units, and the coolant suction part being configured to suck the heated coolant inside the container, The blow-out nozzle includes an elongated tube configured to change a length in a discharge direction according to a position of any one of the at least two battery packs.

2. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit is configured to adjust a blowing direction of each of the at least two blowing units so that the coolant is concentrated only to some of the at least two battery packs exhibiting a relatively high temperature.

3. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit is configured to adjust such that a discharge amount of the blow-out unit that discharges the coolant toward a battery pack exhibiting a relatively higher temperature among the at least two battery packs is greater than discharge amounts of the remaining blow-out units.

4. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The coolant supply part includes an air supply duct having a moving passage for moving the coolant to the blow-out unit, and The coolant suction portion includes a suction duct having a suction hole for re-sucking the heated coolant inside the container, and the suction duct is configured to extend so that the sucked coolant is moved to the outside of the container.

5. The energy storage device according to claim 4, wherein: The blowing unit also includes: a fixing member fixed to the air supply duct and having an inlet formed to communicate with the air supply duct; a main body coupled to the fixing member and configured to have a curved surface capable of rotating in a coupled state; as well as a shutter configured to movably cover at least a portion of the discharge hole of the blow-out nozzle, The discharge hole is formed by opening one end of the main body to discharge the coolant.

6. The energy storage device according to claim 4, wherein: The battery rack includes a guide member having an inclined wall configured to protrude outward based on a position of the battery pack so that the coolant around the battery pack is guided to move to the battery pack.

7. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein: In the guide member, the inclined walls are connected using a hinge structure so that an outward protrusion degree of the inclined walls changes based on a position of the battery pack.

8. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein: The guide member includes a conductive portion made of a thermally conductive material and configured to extend from an inner end of the inclined wall into the battery rack.

9. The energy storage device according to claim 4, wherein: The suction duct is configured to be at least partially movable so that at least a portion of the suction hole is moved to another position.

10. An energy storage system comprising at least two energy storage devices according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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