Plate-type ess battery pack

Abstract

Provided is an energy storage system (ESS) battery pack including: a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and a cell case disposed in a hollow plate shape to accommodate the plurality of battery cells therein; and a system module placed at a lower portion of the battery module and including a battery management system and a box-shaped system case including a docking unit, the system case being formed to accommodate the battery management system in one side inside and to vertically insert a lower end of the cell case into the other side, wherein the battery module is disposed to be separated from the system module when the cell case is lifted from the docking unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an energy storage system (ESS) battery pack, and more particularly, to an ESS battery pack suitable for home use, easy to maintain and replace parts, and having a slim structure.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0169717, filed in Korea on December 7, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Energy storage system (ESS) battery packs are equipped with secondary battery cells to store electricity during the day and retrieve and use that electricity when needed. For example, an ESS battery pack may take the form of storing electricity generated by solar panels or wind power in secondary battery cells and then retrieving and using that electricity.

[0004] Depending on the storage capacity, the size and weight of an ESS battery pack can be configured differently. For example, as in Figure 1 As shown, the home ESS battery pack 1 has a rectangular box shape of approximately 120×80×20cm (height×width×thickness) and weighs approximately 100kg. The home ESS battery pack can be mounted on a wall or pillar indoors or outdoors using brackets or the like.

[0005] The aforementioned home ESS battery packs, based on the relevant technology, are large and heavy for users to transport and install independently. In other words, home ESS battery packs based on the relevant technology are difficult for users to install directly or reinstall by changing location.

[0006] Furthermore, because home ESS battery packs, according to relevant technologies, have a structure where all components are integrated into a single battery pack housing, it is difficult to repair or replace components when problems occur. For example, even if there is a defect in a single battery cell or the battery management system, it is extremely difficult for ordinary users to directly replace the battery cell or the battery management system.

[0007] Correspondingly, there is a growing demand for new home ESS battery packs that can further facilitate user installation, maintenance, and component replacement. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] This disclosure is designed to address problems in the related art, and therefore aims to provide a home energy storage system (ESS) battery pack that has a structure that is easy to install and easy to maintain and replace components after use.

[0010] These and other objects and advantages of this disclosure will be understood from the following detailed description and will become more fully apparent from the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. Moreover, it will be readily understood that the objects and advantages of this disclosure can be achieved by the means and combinations thereof shown in the appended claims.

[0011] Technical solution

[0012] In one aspect of this disclosure, an energy storage system (ESS) battery pack is provided, the energy storage system (ESS) battery pack comprising: a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and cell housings, the cell housings being configured as hollow plates to accommodate the plurality of battery cells; and a system module disposed below the battery module and including a battery management system and a box-shaped system housing, the system housing including a docking unit, the system housing being configured to accommodate the battery management system in one interior side and to vertically insert the lower ends of the cell housings into the other side, wherein the battery module is configured to separate from the system module when the cell housings are lifted from the docking unit.

[0013] The battery cell can be a pouch-type battery cell, and the thickness of the cell casing can correspond to the thickness of one of the pouch-type battery cells.

[0014] The lower end of the single-unit housing can be inserted vertically into the docking unit to a predetermined depth and can be placed vertically relative to the upper surface of the system housing.

[0015] The battery module may further include a connector disposed at the lower end of the single-cell housing, and the docking unit may include: a guide barrier wall configured to guide the lower end of the single-cell housing to be vertically inserted; and a terminal member electrically connected to and in contact with the connector.

[0016] The connector may include: a connector housing disposed inside the lower end of the single housing; and a plug protruding vertically from the connector housing to the outside of the lower end of the single housing, and the terminal member may include: a socket portion configured as a recessed shape to mate with the plug; a spring disposed inside the socket portion; and a metal plate disposed at the upper end of the spring.

[0017] The terminal component and the battery management system can be connected to each other by a metal wire, which can have one side connected to the spring and the other side connected to the battery management system, and can be wired through the guide barrier wall.

[0018] The system housing may include a system receiving unit, which is separated from the docking unit by the guide barrier wall and is configured to house the battery management system.

[0019] The system receiving unit may include two parts connected to each other by a hinge to surround the battery management system, and one of the two parts may be opened and closed by rotation relative to the hinge as an axis.

[0020] The single-cell housing may include: a housing body having an open surface and being configured as a hollow plate, and the housing body including a support member capable of supporting the battery cell internally in a series of steps; and a housing cover hinged to the upper end of the housing body to be rotatable and configured to open and close the open surface of the housing body.

[0021] The battery module can be configured as multiple battery modules, and the system module can include multiple docking units that enable the multiple battery modules to be inserted.

[0022] Beneficial effects

[0023] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a home energy storage system (ESS) battery pack can be provided, which has a structure that is easy to install and easy to maintain and replace components after use.

[0024] Because the battery modules and system modules can be transported separately and easily assembled, the home ESS battery pack disclosed herein is easy for users to handle. Furthermore, it facilitates the repair and replacement of defective battery cells or control system components.

[0025] Furthermore, by developing a new version of the battery module that is compatible with existing system modules, it is possible to remove the old version of the battery module and replace it with the new version. Conversely, it is also possible to simply interchange the system module with the new system module.

[0026] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will clearly understand from this specification and the accompanying drawings the effects not mentioned. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic 3D diagram of a home energy storage system (ESS) battery pack based on related technologies.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack for a home energy storage system (ESS) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a diagram used to explain the cell housing structure of an ESS battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are diagrams illustrating the connection of the battery modules and system modules that constitute an ESS battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure before and after the connection.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the open and closed structures of a battery module and a system module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic perspective view of an ESS battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terminology used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to its general and dictionary meaning, but rather interpreted based on the meaning and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure, on the basis of allowing the inventors to appropriately define the terminology for best interpretation.

[0035] Therefore, the description presented herein is merely a preferred example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that other equivalents and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack for a home energy storage system (ESS) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 This is a diagram used to explain the cell housing structure of an ESS battery pack according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are diagrams illustrating the connection of the battery modules and system modules that constitute an ESS battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure before and after the connection.

[0037] Referring to these drawings, an ESS battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a battery module 100; and a system module 200, the battery module 100 and the system module 200 being detachably electrically and mechanically connected to each other.

[0038] As will be described in detail below, the ESS battery pack 10 according to this disclosure is configured such that the battery module 100 and the system module 200 are connected or disconnected from each other in such a way that the battery module 100 is inserted into and removed from the docking unit 221 of the system module 200. Therefore, the user has excellent installation convenience, and when a new version of the battery module 100 is developed, the old version of the battery module 100 can be removed, and the new version of the battery module 100 can be inserted into the system module 200 for replacement.

[0039] The main components of battery module 100 and system module 200 will be described below.

[0040] The battery module 100 includes multiple battery cells 110, cell housings 120, and connectors 130.

[0041] The pouch-type battery cell 110 is used as the battery cell 110 in this embodiment. The pouch-type battery cell 110 has a high energy density and is in the shape of a flat rectangular plate so that it can be easily housed in the plate-shaped cell housing 120 described below.

[0042] The pouch-type battery cell 110 includes an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a pouch sheath material for encapsulating the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The electrode assembly is formed as a stack of repeating positive electrode plate-separator-negative electrode plate structures, and each positive electrode plate and each negative electrode plate includes an electrode terminal. One or more electrode terminals are connected to electrode leads inside the pouch sheath material, and the electrode leads extend to be positioned outside the pouch sheath material and functionally serve as electrode terminals of the battery cell 110 accordingly.

[0043] The bag sheath material is used to seal and contain the electrode assembly and electrolyte, and to complement the electrochemical properties of the electrode assembly and electrolyte and improve heat dissipation, the bag sheath material can be configured to include a thin metal film, such as an aluminum film. The aluminum film can be placed between an insulating layer and an inner adhesive layer, the insulating layer being formed of an insulating material to ensure electrical insulation.

[0044] However, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the use of pouch-type battery cells 110. Other types of battery cells 110 can be used as battery cells 110, such as cylindrical battery cells 110 with a sheath material formed from a metal can, polygonal battery cells 110, etc.

[0045] The cell housing 120 is configured as a hollow plate shape. The cell cells 110 can be arranged in a predetermined pattern in the interior space of the cell housing 120 and can be connected in series and / or in parallel with each other via busbars (not shown) or wires (not shown).

[0046] The individual casing 120 can be configured to have a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the battery cell 110 and an area that allows at least two battery cells 110 to be arranged side-by-side in a horizontal or vertical direction on the same plane. For example, as in Figure 3 As shown, when using a pouch-type battery cell 110 with a thickness of less than 30 mm, the cell housing 120 can be manufactured to have a thickness of approximately 30 mm and an area that allows the battery cells 110 to be arranged in two rows.

[0047] As described above, the single-cell housing 120 is manufactured as a thin plate, with only the battery cell 110 and basic wiring material housed within the single-cell housing 120. Electrical components (such as the battery management system 210, power relays, DC / DC converters, etc.) used to control the charging and discharging of the battery cell 110, the flow and magnitude of current, etc., are separately embedded in the system module 200. Therefore, the thin-plate battery module 100 can be lightweight and slim.

[0048] The single-piece housing 120 according to this embodiment may include a housing body 121 and a housing cover 123.

[0049] refer to Figures 4 to 6 The outer casing 121 has a hollow cuboid plate shape and includes a support 122 that supports the battery cell 110 one step at a time. The outer casing 121 can be configured such that at least a portion of one surface is open, and the opening of the outer casing 121 can be configured to be opened and closed by an outer casing cover 123. For example, the outer casing cover 123 can be slidably or rotatably attached to the outer casing 121 to open and close the opening. In this embodiment, the outer casing cover 123 is attached to the upper end of the outer casing 121 via a hinge H1 and is rotated to open and close the opening. When the outer casing cover 123 is open, a handle 123a can be added to one side of the outer casing cover 123 to facilitate rotation.

[0050] Support members 122, which protrude in a roughly "T" shape at regular intervals in the height direction, can be provided on the inner wall surface of the housing body 121, and the battery cell 110 can be fixed by being clamped between the support members 122. At this time, one (wide) surface of the battery cell 110 can contact the inner wall surface of the housing body 121, and the two sides and edges of its other (wide) surface can be held by being surrounded by the two T-shaped support members 122.

[0051] A connector 130 for connecting the battery module 100 to the system module 200 can be located on the lower end of the single-unit housing 120.

[0052] As in Figure 4 As shown, connector 130 includes connector housing 131 and plug 133. Here, connector housing 131 is an injection-molded product surrounding plug 133 and is a component for securing and protecting plug 133, and plug 133 is a conductor and is a component that functions as a terminal to be connected to terminal member 223, which will be described below.

[0053] Connector housing 131 can be fixedly assembled inside the lower end of unit housing 120, and plug 133 can extend both inside and outside connector housing 131. One end of plug 133 can protrude vertically downward within connector housing 131 to the outside of the lower end of unit housing 120. Although not shown, a cable can be attached to the other end of plug 133 located inside connector housing 131. The cable can be routed to contact battery cell 110 or a busbar (not shown) connected to electrode leads of battery cell 110. Multiple cables can be provided, and said multiple cables can be divided into power cables and signal cables. Plug 133 can be provided in a number corresponding to the multiple cables.

[0054] System module 200 includes a battery management system 210 and a box-shaped system housing 220 having an internal space that can accommodate the battery management system 210.

[0055] The battery management system 210 is a component that monitors the state of individual battery cells 110 and manages charging and discharging. It can be configured as a printed circuit board, which may optionally include processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), other chipsets, logic circuits, registers, communication modems, data processing devices, etc., known in the art. In addition to the battery management system 210, a battery disconnection unit may also be housed in the system housing 220. Here, the battery disconnection unit is a power control component, including relays, current sensors, resistors, etc., and generally refers to a component that connects or disconnects power between the battery and the load.

[0056] That is, the system housing 220 may be equipped with electrical components necessary for managing the charging / discharging state of the battery cells 110 and controlling the power.

[0057] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 and Figures 6 to 7 Regarding the construction of the system housing 220 according to this embodiment, the system housing 220 includes a docking unit 221 and a system receiving unit 225.

[0058] The docking unit 221 is configured such that the lower end of the individual housing 120 of the battery module 100 can be inserted vertically and straight to a predetermined depth. In this embodiment, the system housing 220 can be divided into a docking unit 221 at the left edge and a system receiving unit 225 at the right side of the docking unit 221. The docking unit 221 and the system receiving unit 225 can be separated by a guide barrier wall 222.

[0059] The docking unit 221 has: an upper portion that is open, allowing the lower end of the single-unit housing 120 to be inserted; and a front, rear, left, right, and lower portion, which are surrounded by walls, forming a receiving space for accommodating the lower end of the single-unit housing 120. Here, the wall forming the right side portion can be configured as a guide barrier wall 222.

[0060] Additionally, a terminal component 223 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the mating unit 221, and the terminal component 223 is electrically connected to the connector 130 in a manner that contacts the connector 130. The terminal component 223 may include a socket portion 223a, a spring 223b, and a metal plate 223c.

[0061] The socket portion 223a can be configured as a recessed shape that matches the plug 133 of the connector 130, and the spring 223b can be placed inside the socket portion 223a. The metal plate 223c can be attached to the upper end of the spring 223b, and the metal wire C can be attached to the lower end of the spring 223b.

[0062] The metal plate 223c can be placed on the upper end of the spring 223b, with the plate surface facing upwards to form a face-to-face contact with the plug 133. A portion of the metal wire C can be embedded in the socket portion 223a and can be connected to the battery management system 210 through the guide barrier wall 222.

[0063] The system receiving unit 225 can be separated from the docking unit 221 by the guide barrier wall 222, and can be configured in the shape of a box with an internal space capable of accommodating the battery management system 210, etc.

[0064] In this embodiment, the system receiving unit 225 can surround the battery management system 210 and includes a fixed portion 225a and a rotating portion 225b connected by a hinge H2. By using the hinge H2 as an axis to rotate the rotating portion 225b relative to the fixed portion 225a in the forward and reverse directions, the system receiving unit 225 can be opened and closed. The end of the rotating portion 225b can be placed on the upper end of the guide barrier wall 222, and at this time, the magnet M can be attached to the end of the rotating portion 225b and the upper end of the guide barrier wall 222, so that the fixed portion 225a and the rotating portion 225b are stably attached / detached.

[0065] According to the above configuration, for example, when a problem occurs in any electrical component including the battery management system 210 and repair or replacement is required, the rotating part 225b can be opened to repair or replace the corresponding component.

[0066] Next, an installation example of the ESS battery pack 10 according to this embodiment will be briefly described below.

[0067] Battery module 100 and system module 200 can be manufactured separately and assembled at their respective mounting locations. Assembly of battery module 100 and system module 200 is very simple. First, the mounting location of system module 200 is determined, and system module 200 is horizontally secured to the corresponding position using, for example, bolts or other parts. Then, as in... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the lower end of the single-unit housing 120 is inserted into the docking unit 221 of the system housing 220, the battery module 100 and the system module 200 can be connected to each other.

[0068] When the battery module 100 and the system module 200 need to be separated from each other, the lower end of the single housing 120 is simply lifted from the docking unit 221.

[0069] Meanwhile, when a problem exists in the battery cell 110, the battery module 100 can be removed from the system module 200 to replace the corresponding battery cell 110. For example, the corresponding battery cell 110 can be replaced with a new battery cell 110 as follows: remove the battery module 100, then place the cell housing 120 on the ground, open the housing cover 123, and remove the corresponding battery cell 110 from inside the housing body 121.

[0070] Additionally, when a problem exists in the battery management system 210, power is disconnected when the battery module 100 is removed from the system housing 220. At this time, the system receiving unit 225 can be opened, and the existing battery management system can be safely replaced by the new battery management system 210.

[0071] Furthermore, when a new version of the battery module 100 compatible with the existing system module 200 is developed, the old version of the battery module 100 can be removed and replaced with the new version. Conversely, it is also possible to simply interchange system module 200 with the new system module 200.

[0072] Figure 8 This is a schematic perspective view of an ESS battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] Reference Figure 8 A separate embodiment of an ESS battery pack according to this disclosure is described. Redundant descriptions of the same construction as in the above embodiments will be omitted, and only the differences will be briefly described.

[0074] An ESS battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes two or more battery modules 100A and 100B and a system module 200A. For example, as in Figure 8 As shown, the ESS battery pack 10 can be configured to vertically insert each of the two battery modules 100A and 100B into the system module 200A. For this purpose, two docking units 221 can be provided in the system module 200. In this embodiment, the ESS battery pack 10 includes two battery modules 100 and two docking units 221 of the system module 200A. However, unlike this embodiment, the ESS battery pack 10 may also include three or four battery modules, and in this case, the ESS battery pack 10 may also include three or four docking units 221 of the system module 200.

[0075] If an ESS battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is used, the energy storage capacity can be easily increased by adding battery modules 100 if necessary. That is, the ESS battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure not only has user-friendly installation but also capacity scalability.

[0076] This disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of this disclosure, they are given by way of illustration only, as various changes and modifications within the scope of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description.

[0077] At the same time, although terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used in this document to indicate directions, these terms are merely for descriptive convenience and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these terms may vary depending on the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

Claims

1. A battery pack for an energy storage system, comprising: A battery module comprising multiple battery cells and cell housings, wherein the cell housings are configured as hollow plates to accommodate the multiple battery cells. and The system module is located below the battery module and includes a battery management system and a box-shaped system housing. The system housing includes a docking unit and is configured to house the battery management system on one internal side and allow the lower end of the individual housing to be vertically inserted into the other side. Specifically, when the individual casing is lifted from the docking unit, the battery module is configured to separate from the system module. The single-unit outer shell includes: The housing body has an open surface and is configured as a hollow plate, and the housing body includes a support member capable of supporting the battery cell internally in a series of steps; and The housing cover is hinged to the upper end of the housing body to be rotatable and is formed to open and close the open surface of the housing body.

2. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 1, in, The battery cell is a pouch-type battery cell, and The thickness of the single-cell outer shell corresponds to the thickness of one of the pouch-type battery cells.

3. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein, The lower end of the single-unit housing is inserted vertically into the docking unit to a predetermined depth and is placed vertically relative to the upper surface of the system housing.

4. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 3, in, The battery module further includes a connector, which is positioned at the lower end of the single-cell housing. The docking unit includes: A guiding barrier wall, configured to guide the lower end of the monocoque housing to be vertically inserted; and Terminal components that are electrically connected to and in contact with the connector.

5. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 4, in, The connector includes: A connector housing, wherein the connector housing is disposed inside the lower end of the single housing; and A plug, which protrudes vertically from the connector housing to the exterior of the lower end of the single-piece housing, and The terminal component includes: The socket portion is configured as a recess shape that matches the plug; A spring, which is located inside the socket portion; and A metal plate is disposed at the upper end of the spring.

6. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 5, in, The terminal components and the battery management system are connected to each other via metal wires, and The metal wire has one side connected to the spring and the other side connected to the battery management system, and is wired by passing through the guide barrier wall.

7. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 4, in, The system housing includes a system receiving unit, which is separated from the docking unit by the guide barrier wall and is configured to house the battery management system.

8. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 7, in, The system receiving unit comprises two parts connected to each other by a hinge to surround the battery management system, and one of the two parts is opened and closed by rotation relative to the hinge as an axis.

9. The battery pack of the energy storage system according to claim 1, in, The battery module is configured as multiple battery modules, and The system module includes multiple docking units, which enable the insertion of multiple battery modules.

Images