Energy storage device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an energy storage device having a switchgear housing, wherein a plurality of accommodation spaces are provided in the switchgear housing, wherein at least one control device and a variable number of energy storage blocks can be interchangeably accommodated in the plurality of accommodation spaces, wherein the energy storage blocks can be selectively connected in series or in parallel with each other and connected to power supply terminals via current regulators. Therefore, it is first proposed that the control device installed in the switchgear housing and the power electronics connected thereto are themselves reconfigurable or variable, so that the control device and the power electronics can be adapted to different operating modes or other applications without having to replace the control device and the power electronics and perform corresponding wiring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an energy storage device having a switch cabinet housing, in which a plurality of receiving spaces are provided for interchangeably accommodating at least one control device and a variable number of energy storage blocks, wherein the energy storage blocks can be optionally connected to one another in series or in parallel and connected to power supply terminals via current regulators. Background Art

[0002] Energy storage devices of this type installed in switchgear are known in practice and are used in various applications where the switchgear is also typically used for other components of the installation environment. In particular, energy storage devices can be used in electric drive systems that periodically require energy during operation and then release it again during generator operation, making it useful to temporarily store the re-released electrical energy. Switchgear is often already present in such electric drive systems, in which control panels and control components required for grid operation, such as power electronics including frequency converters, fuses, and similar electrical and electronic components, are stored. In this regard, it is advantageous to accommodate the supporting energy storage device in a similar switchgear, for example, so that it can be easily connected to a higher-level control system or power electronics for grid operation in an adjacent switchgear and provide easy access to the energy storage device.

[0003] To save energy, more and more drives that previously operated mechanically or hydraulically are being electrified to utilize more efficient electric motors. In particular, in applications with cyclically recurring acceleration and braking phases or uphill and downhill travel, it is useful to integrate an energy storage device into the drive system or connect it to it. This device supplies energy during acceleration or uphill phases and feeds back the released energy during braking or downhill phases and stores it in at least one energy storage block. Capacitors (particularly double-layer capacitors) or other battery systems or accumulators are suitable for this purpose. Depending on the drive system, the amount of energy that needs to be supplied and temporarily stored can sometimes be so great that conventional energy storage devices quickly reach their limits or require intelligent control to meet the requirements.

[0004] In order to adapt the voltage or current provided by at least one energy storage block to the corresponding drive system and its voltage and / or current requirements, and / or conversely, in order to adapt the current fed back by the drive system to the conditions of the internal voltage circuit of the energy storage block, the energy storage device can include at least one power converter device in order to adjust the provided or fed current in the required manner with respect to characteristic parameters such as voltage and / or frequency.

[0005] The application of switch cabinet housings with different accommodation spaces allows the corresponding energy storage devices to be easily adapted to the corresponding drive systems. In particular, depending on the required power level and voltage level, energy storage blocks of different designs and different numbers can be accommodated in the switch cabinet. For example, for smaller drive systems, a single energy storage block in the switch cabinet may be sufficient, but for another application, two, three or even four and five energy storage blocks may be accommodated in the same switch cabinet. Different types of energy storage blocks can be accommodated or interchanged for different operating modes. For example, if a large amount of electricity needs to be temporarily stored in a short period of time, such as due to uphill and downhill operations in a shorter period, a capacitor unit (especially an energy storage block with a double-layer capacitor) may be advantageous. However, if the energy storage device is used for more uniform operations that only occasionally require an additional energy boost (for example, for the startup phase) or only require emergency power supply, then a battery may be advantageous as an energy storage block. In other applications, fuel cells can also be used as energy storage blocks.

[0006] Even if a certain degree of flexibility and reconfigurability is achieved by integrating the energy storage device in the switchgear, the solutions available so far are only flexible to a limited extent and cannot be fully adapted to the individual application. In particular, in applications with different drive systems that differ greatly in terms of power levels, problems arise with known switchgear solutions regarding appropriately tailored cooling and appropriately tailored electromagnetic compatibility protection. If the switchgear has a cooling system that is dimensioned to meet the requirements of high-performance classes, overcooling will occur for applications with only one energy storage block and relatively low performance. At the same time, the strong electromagnetic insulation of the switchgear can waste unnecessary installation space and lead to additional weight, and its dimensions are too large for applications with less electromagnetic incompatibilities.

[0007] On the other hand, even when only limited changes in power levels must be compensated, known switchgear solutions still require a relatively high level of modification effort to adapt the energy storage device's control and power electronics to the respective intended application. Specifically, for example, the process of removing a control module from the switchgear, replacing it with another, and then rewiring it to the energy storage modules and other components in the appropriate manner is still relatively time-consuming. This also applies to the power electronics, which are optionally combined with the control device to form a switchgear module. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved energy storage device of the aforementioned type, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and advantageously further develops it. In particular, the energy storage device should be sufficiently flexible to be configured as required and should be capable of rapid and effortless retrofitting if the energy storage device is to be used for another application purpose or for another operating mode of a connected drive or working device.

[0009] Therefore, it is first proposed that the control device and related power electronic components installed in the switch cabinet housing are themselves reconfigurable or variable, so that the control and power electronic devices can be adapted to other operating modes or other application situations without having to replace the control and power electronic modules and without having to implement corresponding wiring for this purpose. According to a first aspect, the energy storage device is characterized in that at least one current regulator (Stromsteller) is designed to be expandable and operates at different expansion levels according to the number of energy storage blocks used and their parallel and / or series connection, wherein the power terminal of the energy storage device is connected to at least one energy storage block via the current regulator. This avoids replacing or modifying the switch cabinet module or power electronic module containing the current regulator. For example, if the power level or voltage level is increased by accommodating additional energy storage blocks in the switch cabinet and / or changing from a series connection to a parallel connection, the current regulator can be adapted to the higher power level that needs to be handled by re-expansion. For example, the current regulator can include an expandable multi-phase structure and / or include multiple regulating elements that are expandable by being connected in parallel.

[0010] In an advantageous refinement of the present invention, the current regulator can be a DC / DC regulator or a DC / DC converter, through which at least one energy storage block supplies electrical energy to the power supply terminals of the energy storage device, and vice versa (when the connected drive system operates as a generator) to charge the energy storage block. In particular, in this case, a bidirectional DC / DC regulator can be used, through which at least one energy storage block can not only output energy but also be charged. Such a DC / DC converter or DC / DC regulator refers to a circuit capable of converting a DC voltage supplied to an input terminal into a DC voltage having a higher, lower, or opposite voltage level, and is capable of transferring energy from a high voltage level to a low voltage level (for example, to charge the energy storage block), and can also transfer energy in the other direction, that is, transferring energy out of the energy storage block or transferring it from the energy storage block to the DC circuit of the drive system.

[0011] Depending on the energy storage block and the drive system, other power converters or current regulators can also be used, such as rectifiers, inverters, frequency converters or universal converters, wherein these power converters can include electronic components such as diodes, transistors or thyristors as well as MOSFETs, IGBTs or IGCTs.

[0012] In a refinement of the present invention, the aforementioned expandability of at least one current regulator can advantageously be automatic or at least semi-automatic. In particular, a detection device can be provided for detecting the current power level and / or for detecting the number of energy storage blocks used at any one time and / or their parallel and / or series connection configuration. The expansion device can expand the current regulator based on a signal from the detection device, for example by switching elements or phases of the current regulator on or off.

[0013] In order to be able to use the energy storage device not only for DC voltage systems, in addition to the above-mentioned DC / DC regulator, a frequency converter that can be preferentially switched on and off can also be provided, so that the energy storage device can be optionally used for the AC network when the frequency converter is switched on and can also be used for the DC network when the frequency converter is switched off.

[0014] The frequency converter can be accommodated in the same switch cabinet as the energy storage module and the control device or the power electronics, but alternatively it can also be installed in a separate switch cabinet or be arranged at another external location.

[0015] In order to be able to easily make the switch cabinet adapt to the different application purposes and operating modes of each connected working machinery, the energy storage device can advantageously include differently designed energy storage blocks, which can be interchangeable and can advantageously be installed in the same accommodating space. For example, this can be achieved in the following ways: the differently designed energy storage blocks have the same connection dimensions or mutually compatible connection surfaces, by which the energy storage blocks can be inserted into the connection space of the switch cabinet. For example, if the connection space is provided with a plug-in guide or a sliding guide, no matter how the type of the energy storage block, it can have a sliding guide surface that is suitable for the guide. Therefore, the overall size and external dimensions of the energy storage block do not have to be identical to each other (they can certainly also be identical), but as long as the relevant connection dimensions suitable for inserting each connection space are sufficient.

[0016] If different receiving spaces are provided for this purpose in the switch cabinet, the energy storage blocks can also have different connection dimensions from one another.

[0017] In particular, the different energy storage blocks may comprise at least two of the following three energy storage block types: capacitor cells (in particular in the form of double-layer capacitors), batteries and fuel cells.

[0018] Depending on the application, only one type of energy storage module can be accommodated in the switch cabinet, for example only double-layer capacitors or only batteries, wherein the energy storage module types can advantageously be replaced with one another depending on the application.

[0019] Alternatively, however, in an advantageous refinement of the present invention, different types of energy storage blocks can be accommodated simultaneously in the same switchgear cabinet, for example, at least one double-layer capacitor and at least one battery. The mixed arrangement of energy storage block types allows their advantages to be combined. In particular, a switchgear cabinet can contain at least one double-layer capacitor to provide a power storage device that can quickly absorb and release large amounts of electrical energy, and at least one battery can also be arranged in the switchgear cabinet as an energy storage block to meet basic or emergency needs.

[0020] In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the energy storage device comprises a cooling device for cooling the energy storage blocks and, where appropriate, also for cooling a control device and / or its power electronics, for example in the form of the above-mentioned DC / DC regulator or another current regulator. Advantageously, the cooling device can be at least partially integrated into the switch cabinet housing, wherein the cooling device can be designed to be reconfigurable to use energy storage devices with different power levels and / or different types and numbers of energy storage blocks, or the cooling device can include differently designed cooling modules. This reconfigurability of the cooling device avoids overcooling if the energy storage device only operates at lower power levels or uses non-temperature-sensitive energy storage blocks. At the same time, sufficient cooling can be ensured for more heat-intensive applications without having to replace the entire switch cabinet for this purpose.

[0021] In particular, the cooling device can include a liquid cooling module, which can have a coolant line in the switchgear housing. This coolant line can be arranged along the accommodation space for the energy storage block and / or the control device and / or the power electronics, wherein the coolant line can extend along or even through the accommodation bracket of the accommodation space. For example, if a drawer for the energy storage block is provided in the switchgear housing, the wall defining the drawer can be provided with such a coolant line, against which the energy storage block or the control and / or power electronics module can be inserted in order to extract heat from the energy storage block or the power electronics module. Alternatively or additionally, however, the coolant line can also be arranged exposed, for example in the form of a cooling coil, and advantageously installed as a component directly adjacent to the energy storage device to be cooled.

[0022] The coolant heated by the warm or hot energy storage modules is circulated via coolant lines to a heat exchanger, which can advantageously be arranged outside the switchgear housing, for example, on its roof or ceiling. Alternatively or additionally, such a heat exchanger can also be housed in a separate switchgear cabinet connected to the coolant lines.

[0023] However, as an alternative or supplement to such a liquid cooling module, an air cooling module may also be provided, which may include heat sinks on and / or between the accommodation spaces, through which cooling air may flow. In order to generate the cooling air flow, at least one cooling fan may be provided, which may blow or suck the cooling air flow through the above-mentioned heat sinks. Advantageously, such a cooling fan may be provided on each heat sink group located between the accommodation spaces or energy storage modules, so as to generate sufficient cooling air flow and adequately cool each accommodation space, wherein a plurality of cooling fans may advantageously be switched individually so as to actually cool only the required accommodation spaces in the switch cabinet housing. For example, if one or two accommodation spaces remain empty because only a small number of energy storage blocks are required, or if a single energy storage block remains switched off in a specific operating mode, the corresponding cooling fan may also be switched off.

[0024] However, as an alternative or in addition to such liquid and / or air cooling modules, at least a two-phase cooling module can also be provided, which can cool the components of the energy storage device to be cooled by phase transition of the cooling medium. In particular, such a two-phase cooling module can include at least one coolant container containing a evaporated liquid at a low temperature, so that when heat is applied by a component of the energy storage block, the power electronic device, or another heat-generating component, the liquid can be evaporated.

[0025] Advantageously, such a coolant container can be arranged directly at each or at least one receiving space and / or can also be directly assigned to one of the energy storage blocks and / or power electronics modules arranged therein in order to effectively cool the corresponding energy storage block or the corresponding power electronics component.

[0026] Advantageously, such a two-phase cooling module can have the cooling liquid evaporated at an angle of less than 70° or even less than 50°.

[0027] In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the cooling device can comprise a pump and / or tank module in which a storage container and a circulation pump for the coolant can be advantageously combined, wherein, independently of this, the pump and / or tank module can advantageously be adapted to the aforementioned energy storage block in terms of its size and / or profile and / or connection dimensions, so that the pump and / or tank module can be pushed or inserted into one of the accommodation spaces of the switch cabinet which can itself be used to accommodate the energy storage block. In this regard, depending on the configuration and cooling requirements, an energy storage block or the pump and / or tank module can be optionally inserted at at least one accommodation space of the switch cabinet. Advantageously, a lowest accommodation space of the switch cabinet can be provided for accommodating the pump and / or tank module, or the pump and / or tank module can be adapted to this lowest accommodation space.

[0028] In order to also be able to easily reconfigure the switch cabinet with regard to electromagnetic compatibility, an EMC filter for suppressing electromagnetic interference can be inserted into the switch cabinet, preferably removably and replaceably, wherein in particular such an EMC filter can also be inserted into one of the receiving spaces of the switch cabinet.

[0029] Advantageously, the connection dimensions of the EMC filter can be designed to the connection dimensions of the energy storage block and / or the connection dimensions of the control device and / or the connection dimensions of the power electronics module accordingly. If, for example, the accommodation space is designed to a drawer type and / or is provided with a sliding guide, the EMC filter can have a following sliding guide surface, which is compatible with the sliding guide of the above-mentioned accommodation space, and is compatible with the size of the sliding guide surface of the energy storage block and / or the control module and / or the power electronics module when necessary, so that the EMC filter and the other described components (for example, energy storage block, control device and power electronics) can be variably arranged in the switch cabinet. If necessary, the quantity of the EMC filter can also be easily changed, so that one or two or more EMC filters can be accommodated in the switch cabinet, without having to transform the switch cabinet housing itself for this reason.

[0030] In an improved example of the present invention, a separator for automatically separating the energy storage block from the current regulator in the event of a fault can also be provided in the switch cabinet housing, so as to prevent damage to the energy storage block, for example, when the current regulator is short-circuited, or to prevent damage to components of the drive device connected to it due to uncontrolled energy release from the energy storage block.

[0031] For example, such a separator can include an explosive fuse.

[0032] To further adapt the energy storage device to different applications and further expand its power rating, multiple switchgear housings can be provided. Each switchgear housing can accommodate a variable number of energy storage modules, a control device, and a power electronics module with at least one current regulator in its housing space in the manner described above. Advantageously, multiple switchgear housings can be connected to the power supply terminals, optionally in parallel or in series, and to the drive system for shared power supply or support.

[0033] If the energy storage system comprises multiple switchgear cabinets, each housing an energy storage module, a control unit, and power electronics, it is advantageous to provide at least partially centralized cooling, particularly a cooling system comprising liquid cooling modules in at least some of the switchgear cabinets. In particular, coolant lines extending through the multiple switchgear cabinets can be routed to and connected to a common heat exchanger for centralized recooling of the coolant. This heat exchanger can be housed in a separate switchgear cabinet or located at another external location.

[0034] Regardless of whether only one or multiple switch cabinets are provided, in a refinement of the invention it is advantageous to provide a variably configurable control device in at least one switch cabinet so that the corresponding control device can be easily adapted to different application purposes and / or different operating modes.

[0035] In particular, the control device itself can have a modular structure and include at least one controller board and an adapter board connectable thereto. The controller board can be provided with different control modules to implement different control functions, wherein the controller board can include at least output and / or input control components for controlling a current regulator to output and / or input current to / from at least one energy storage block, and regulation and / or control components for regulating and / or controlling the output voltage of the energy storage device.

[0036] In particular, the adapter board can include a plurality of connection terminals for differently designed external control panels, at least one communication interface for communicating with a controller board, and at least one adapter circuit for adapting and transmitting signals between the connection terminals of the adapter board and the controller board.

[0037] The control device integrated into the energy storage device can be connected in a simple manner to external control panels of different designs via a plurality of differently designed connecting terminals of the adapter plate.

[0038] Depending on the design of the external control panel, signals, data formats, and / or parameters required or provided by the external control panel can be received, transmitted, or provided via appropriate connection terminals of the adapter board. To enable the external control panel to also use signals, data, and / or parameters provided by the controller board, or conversely, to enable the controller board to use signals, data, instructions, or parameters provided by the external control panel, at least one adapter circuit of the adapter board adapts the signals, data, instructions, and / or parameters according to their formats and / or voltage levels and / or according to their transmission paths to the various connection terminals and / or communication interfaces of the adapter board, thereby enabling the controller board to communicate with a higher-level external control panel of a different design.

[0039] Advantageously, the adapter board may include a plurality of adapter circuits, wherein corresponding matching circuits in the adapter circuits may respectively adapt required signals, data and / or parameters from / to corresponding external control panels.

[0040] In an improved example of the present invention, the adapter board may further include a plurality of sensor terminals for connecting to various sensors required by the control panel and / or internal control device. In particular, the adapter board may be connected to sensors inside the energy storage device via the sensor terminals, and the energy storage device, in particular, at least one operating state of its energy storage block and / or power converter and / or internal voltage circuit, may be monitored via the sensors inside the energy storage device. Alternatively or in addition, the adapter board may be connected to an external sensor via the sensor terminals, which monitors at least one operating state of the drive system to be connected or its power electronic components.

[0041] For example, a cooling device sensor for monitoring the cooling device can be connected to the sensor terminal of the adapter board, and the cooling device sensor is, for example, a coolant flow and / or quality sensor, and / or a temperature sensor, and / or a current and / or voltage sensor for monitoring the current and / or voltage in the voltage circuit of the drive system to be connected and / or in the internal voltage circuit of the energy storage block, and / or a symmetry sensor for monitoring the symmetry of multiple energy storage blocks.

[0042] For example, the at least one adapter circuit of the adapter board may consist of hardware components in the form of one or more electronic modules (e.g. semiconductor modules), but alternatively or additionally also one or more software modules that may be stored in a memory module and processed in a processor.

[0043] In particular, the adapter board may also include a plurality of such hardware circuits and / or software modules.

[0044] With the help of the adapter board, a controller board adapted to the energy storage block and its circuitry can be used and still be adapted to various higher-level control panels, so that they can be used together. The adapter board can be removably connected to the controller board via one or more plug connections. However, alternatively or in addition, the adapter board can also be fixedly connected to the controller board.

[0045] Advantageously, the controller board may include at least one microcontroller, at least one FPGA module (i.e., field programmable gate array), and further hardware circuits and plug connectors for connection, and / or the controller board may consist of these modules. The hardware circuits of the controller board may include electronic components, such as semiconductor components, transistors, diodes, or other active or passive components, wherein integrated circuits may also be provided on the controller board. However, as an alternative or in addition to the hardware circuits, the controller board may also include at least one software module, which is stored in the memory module and interacts with or is processed by the microcontroller.

[0046] In an improved example of the present invention, the control device integrated in the energy storage device may further include a communication board for realizing field bus communication of the control device, in particular communicating with a signal transmitting and / or signal processing module (e.g., a sensor) of the energy storage device, and / or communicating with a signal transmitting and / or signal processing module (e.g., a sensor built into the drive device) of a drive device to be connected and / or an external control panel.

[0047] Advantageously, the communication board may include a plug connector and be plugged onto the controller board.

[0048] Advantageously, a large number of control functions can be implemented and / or pre-created on the controller board, which enable the control device to control the energy storage device and perform corresponding control functions for a large number of different drive devices and different external control panels according to the control functions required by the drive devices and / or external control panels.

[0049] In particular, the control device of the energy storage device can include control means for controlling the operation of at least one energy storage block, wherein said state control means for the operation of the energy storage device can advantageously be configured to carry out automatic pre-charging of an internal intermediate circuit, and / or automatic connection and / or automatic disconnection to an external intermediate circuit of the drive system, and / or automatic pre-charging to a preferably parameterizable initial voltage.

[0050] Alternatively or in addition, the integrated control device may include detection components for detecting various sensors, for example, at least one voltage sensor and / or at least one current sensor and / or at least one temperature sensor or at least one flow sensor, by means of which corresponding operating parameters of the energy storage device and / or the drive system can be measured.

[0051] Alternatively or additionally, the control device of the energy storage device may comprise power control means for generating control signals for power electronics of the drive system.

[0052] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may include a regulator for regulating the current in the energy storage module.

[0053] Alternatively or in addition, the integrated control device may include operating control components for setting or controlling different operating modes of the energy storage device, wherein the operating control components may in particular include a regulator for adjusting the intermediate circuit voltage and / or a regulator for adjusting the intermediate circuit voltage via a rated value window and / or a regulator for adjusting the intermediate circuit current and / or a regulator for adjusting the power and / or a regulator for adjusting the state of charge and / or a control component for actively discharging the energy storage block.

[0054] Alternatively or additionally, the integrated control device may include a self-test module for self-testing the power electronics.

[0055] Alternatively or additionally, the integrated control device may include at least one limiter module, which is arranged and designed to limit or change at least one characteristic manipulated variable of the energy storage device and / or the drive device when an energy storage voltage limit is reached and / or when an energy storage current limit is reached and / or when an intermediate circuit current limit is reached and / or when an intermediate power limit is reached and / or when a temperature limit is reached, for example, to limit or reduce an output or input current and / or voltage level.

[0056] Advantageously, such a limiter module can be designed to be parameterizable, so that corresponding voltage and / or current and / or power and / or temperature limits can be predefined in an adjustably manner.

[0057] Alternatively or in addition, the control device of the energy storage device may include at least one monitoring module, which is designed to monitor an overcurrent in the energy storage device and / or an overvoltage in the intermediate circuit and / or a voltage in the energy storage device and / or a voltage in at least one energy storage block, and / or an overheating temperature, for example in the coolant of the cooling device and / or in at least one energy storage block and / or in the interior of the energy storage device and / or at at least one choke, and / or the state of at least one relay and / or the state of the cooling device, for example with respect to the coolant flow and / or the cooling unit, and / or the state of the power electronics and / or the energy storage device and / or the symmetric function of the energy storage block. Alternatively or in addition, the monitoring means may also be configured to monitor the remaining life of the energy storage device and / or at least one energy storage block, wherein such a monitoring means is capable of calculating and / or estimating said remaining life.

[0058] Alternatively or in addition, the above-mentioned communication board and / or adapter board may include a fieldbus communication module for fieldbus communication with an external control panel, wherein the fieldbus communication module can, for example, be configured to specify an operating mode, and / or specify the start or stop of a drive device, and / or specify rated values ​​for the corresponding operating mode, and / or specify limit values ​​that can be modified during operation, and / or specify precontrol values ​​for regulation and / or operating modes, and / or read out the current state of the energy storage device, and / or read out and provide current operating data.

[0059] Alternatively or additionally, the control device of the energy storage device may include a statistical module for determining and / or storing statistical data, for example, the time distribution of the energy storage temperature, and / or the time distribution of the power, and / or the time distribution of the current in the energy storage device, and / or the time distribution of the voltage in the energy storage device.

[0060] Alternatively or in addition, the control device may include a master / slave control device for operating multiple energy storage blocks in a master / slave module, wherein such a master / slave control device may advantageously include a communication component that can realize communication between multiple energy storage units, preferably via CAN-BUS, and / or a synchronization component for synchronizing the voltages of multiple energy storage units connected in parallel, and / or a distribution-control component for evenly distributing current among the energy storage units connected in parallel.

[0061] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may include an operating data transmission component for transmitting operating data of at least one energy storage device to a central server and / or a cloud.

[0062] In an advantageous refinement of the present invention, the internal control device of the energy storage device (in particular, at least one of the aforementioned control components) can be designed to be parameterizable so that the aforementioned functions can be varied by correspondingly defined parameters. Advantageously, the parameterization module can communicate with an external or internal parameterization device (e.g., the PC program OPAL) via a USB interface and / or a Profinet interface to implement the desired parameterization.

[0063] Advantageously, at least one of the following functions can be parameterized or adapted by the above-mentioned parameterization module:

[0064] - at least one communication parameter;

[0065] - at least one parameter of a power electronic component, for example, a maximum current, a minimum and / or maximum voltage, at least one sensor, at least one switching time and / or at least one switching frequency;

[0066] - at least one operating mode, for example a control mode via a fieldbus, and / or a master / slave mode, and / or an error response mode;

[0067] at least one monitoring function, for example, specification of limit values ​​for the cooling device and / or the symmetry function and / or the voltage, and / or specification of at least one limit value for the current and power of the energy storage device and / or the drive;

[0068] - Rated data of the energy storage device, for example, rated capacitance and / or rated current and / or inductance;

[0069] - The setting of at least one regulator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments and related drawings.

[0071] Figure 1A schematic diagram of an energy storage device with a switch cabinet housing is shown, in which a plurality of energy storage blocks, control and power electronics modules, and EMC filters are installed, wherein a cooling device with a liquid cooling module is provided for cooling the energy storage blocks and optionally the power electronics modules.

[0072] Figure 2 Shows something like Figure 1 An energy storage device with a switch cabinet housing, wherein two separate control and power electronics modules are provided and each control and power electronics module is connected to its own energy storage block group so as to be connectable to a separate four-terminal intermediate circuit or a common two-terminal intermediate circuit.

[0073] Figure 3 An energy storage device with a switch cabinet housing similar to the previous figures is shown, wherein the cooling device comprises a cooling air module with cooling fins between the energy storage block and the control module with cooling fan, the power electronics module and the filter module.

[0074] Figure 4 The arrangement of multiple switch cabinets is shown. Due to the different numbers of energy storage blocks arranged in the switch housing, the switch cabinets are expanded in different proportions.

[0075] Figure 5 The arrangement of multiple switch cabinets is shown, each of which houses an energy storage block, a control and power electronics module, and a filter module, wherein a liquid cooling module arranged in one switch cabinet is connected to a heat exchanger housed in another separate switch cabinet.

[0076] Figure 6 Shows something like Figure 5 An arrangement of multiple switch cabinets, wherein each of the multiple switch cabinets includes an energy storage block, a control and power electronics module, and a filter module, and is connected to a separate common heat exchanger in a separate switch cabinet via its liquid cooling module, wherein an AC / DC converter is also accommodated in another switch cabinet to enable connection of the energy storage device to the AC grid.

[0077] Figure 7 A similar embodiment according to another advantageous embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an energy storage device, where Figure 1 Compared to the embodiment of FIG, the EMC filter is omitted and the pump and tank module are inserted into the switch cabinet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0078] like Figure 1As shown, the energy storage device 6 includes a switch cabinet housing 10, which can be designed essentially as a cube or a cuboid and can preferably include a preferably pivotable door (not specifically shown in the figure) on its front side to provide access to the interior of the switch cabinet and the components arranged therein. In addition to the aforementioned door, the switch cabinet is also delimited by switch cabinet walls including a bottom plate and a top cover.

[0079] A plurality of receiving spaces 20 are provided in the switch cabinet housing 10. These receiving spaces can be arranged overlapping one another and / or adjacent to one another inside the switch cabinet. The receiving spaces 20 can all or in groups have the same size, or can have different sizes.

[0080] In order to facilitate the insertion of components into the receiving space 20 , the receiving space 20 can respectively comprise a sliding guide and / or a plug-in contour, which can be oriented approximately parallel to the depth direction of the switch cabinet, for example, to facilitate the insertion of the components.

[0081] like Figure 1 As shown, a plurality of energy storage blocks 7 can be accommodated in a switch cabinet housing 10. The energy storage blocks can be designed, for example, as capacitor units, in particular double-layer capacitors, but can also be designed as batteries or fuel cells. Here, only one type of energy storage block 7 can be arranged in the switch cabinet, or different types of energy storage blocks can also be arranged (for example, a mixture of double-layer capacitor blocks and battery blocks).

[0082] Advantageously, in addition to the energy storage block 7, a control and power electronics module 15 is also accommodated in one of the accommodation spaces 20 in the switch cabinet housing 10, which may include an electronic control device 9, which includes, for example, a microcontroller, various circuits, sensor systems and optionally one or more software energy storage modules.

[0083] Furthermore, the control module 15 may comprise at least one current regulator, in particular in the form of a DC / DC regulator 8, via which electrical energy can be supplied from the energy storage block 7 to the power supply terminals 11, 12 of the energy storage device 6. Advantageously, the DC / DC regulator 8 may be designed to be bidirectional so as to be able to feed back the current fed back via the power supply terminals 11, 12 to the energy storage block 7.

[0084] However, the control device 9 and the aforementioned current regulator can also optionally be accommodated in separate modules, which can be installed in separate receiving spaces 20 of the switch cabinet housing 10 .

[0085] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the energy storage blocks 7 are connected in series and connected to the control module 15. However, alternatively, this arrangement can also be reconfigured and the power storage blocks 7 can also be connected to the control module 15 in parallel.

[0086] Furthermore, an EMC filter 13 can be accommodated in the switch cabinet housing 10 to suppress or filter electromagnetic interference. Advantageously, the EMC filter 13 can also be inserted into one of the receiving spaces 20 of the switch cabinet housing 10 and its connection dimensions can be designed accordingly.

[0087] like Figure 1 As shown, the energy storage device 6 can also include a cooling device 16, which can have a liquid cooling module 17 in which a coolant, such as water, circulates. In this case, coolant lines 18 can be arranged in particular along the receiving space 20, for example also through the wall of the receiving guide, and / or extend in the form of cooling coils along the heat-generating energy storage block 7 and / or the control and power module 15. Alternatively or in addition, each receiving space 20 can also be provided with a cooling line connection, for example, to enable connection to internal coolant lines in the energy storage block, so that the coolant can also flow through the energy storage block and / or the control and power electronics module.

[0088] The liquid cooling module 17 may further comprise a heat exchanger 19, which may advantageously be arranged outside the switch cabinet housing 10 (e.g., may be placed on its roof) in order to recool the coolant heated by the energy storage block 7 and / or the control and power module 15 and to discharge the heat to the environment.

[0089] like Figure 2 As shown, a plurality of control and / or power electronics modules 15a and 15b can also be installed in the switch cabinet housing 10, wherein a subgroup of the energy storage blocks 7 is connected to one control and / or power electronics module 15, and another subgroup of the storage blocks 7 is connected to another control and / or power electronics module 15b. Thus, two independent storage systems can be provided, although they are arranged in a common switch cabinet housing 10, and these storage systems can each be connected to a separate four-terminal DC voltage intermediate circuit or also to a common two-terminal DC voltage intermediate circuit.

[0090] like Figure 3As shown, as an alternative to or in addition to the liquid cooling module, the cooling device 16 may further include an air cooling module 30 to cool the heat-generating components of the energy storage device 6 using cooling air. In particular, the air cooling module 30 may be provided with a heat sink 31 at or between the accommodation space 20 or at or between the energy storage block 7 and / or the control and / or power electronics module 15 and the optional EMC filter 13. The heat sink 31 may be materially connected to the wall of the accommodation space, but may alternatively be directly connected to the energy storage block 7 and / or the control and / or power electronics module 15 and the optional EMC filter 13, so that the heat from the components can effectively reach the heat sink and be effectively discharged into the cooling air through the large-area heat sink.

[0091] Advantageously, at least one cooling fan 32 is provided for circulating cooling air, wherein see Figure 3 Each heat sink arrangement can advantageously be assigned at least one cooling fan 32 .

[0092] Advantageously, the at least one cooling fan 32 can draw in ambient air through an inlet at the switch cabinet housing 10 , such as a switch cabinet door, and advantageously discharge the heated air back into the environment in the upper region of the switch cabinet housing 10 .

[0093] like Figure 4 As shown, the switch cabinet can be expanded by varying the number of energy storage blocks 7 accommodated in the switch cabinet housing 10, wherein some of the accommodation spaces 20 can also remain empty if appropriate. However, if necessary, one or more energy storage blocks 7 can be separated or disconnected, but otherwise remain in the switch cabinet housing 10.

[0094] Alternatively or additionally, the switch cabinet can also be expanded by replacing individual energy storage blocks 7 with more powerful or less powerful energy storage blocks in order to meet different performance levels.

[0095] Advantageously, the DC / DC converter 8 of the control and power electronics module 15 is designed to be scalable, in order to also be able to accommodate different performance configurations.

[0096] The power terminals of multiple switch cabinets each containing an energy storage block can be connected in parallel or in series to the corresponding working machine, for example, to the drive system, so that the energy storage device can be expanded to a larger extent not only by changing the number or type of energy storage blocks inside the switch cabinet, but also by connecting the required number of switch cabinets in parallel or series.

[0097] like Figure 5As shown, when multiple switchgear cabinets are used, the liquid cooling modules 17 located therein can be connected to a common, externally arranged cooling unit. Specifically, a common, separate heat exchanger 19 can be provided, which can be housed in another separate switchgear cabinet housing and connected to a coolant line 18 in another switchgear cabinet housing 10 to recool the coolant circulating therein. This common heat exchanger 19 eliminates the need for a separate heat exchanger in each switchgear cabinet housing 10. If necessary, the number of switchgear cabinets having coolant lines 18 connected to the common heat exchanger 19 can be varied.

[0098] like Figure 6 As shown, another switch cabinet housing 10 may also be provided to accommodate a higher-level control module 40, which may be, for example, a system control device for the drive system to be connected, or may at least form a portion thereof. Alternatively or additionally, an additional power electronics module may be housed in a separate switch cabinet housing 10. This additional power electronics module may be combined with the aforementioned control module 40, or may also be designed separately. In particular, this additional power electronics module may include an AC / DC converter and / or a frequency converter to enable connection of the energy storage block 7 to the AC grid or an AC motor.

[0099] like Figure 7 As shown, the EMC filter 13 can also be omitted, or the energy storage device 6 can also be configured or reconfigured so that such an EMC filter 13 is omitted in the switch cabinet housing 10. This creates additional space in the switch cabinet housing 10, for example for another energy storage module, and can be a particularly practical configuration if electromagnetic compatibility is not important.

[0100] In addition, if Figure 7 It is shown that in an advantageous refinement of the present invention, the cooling device can further include a pump and tank unit 35, in whose storage container the coolant can be stored, and whose pump can be used to circulate the coolant. Advantageously, in terms of its dimensions and connection dimensions, the pump and tank unit 35 can be designed and / or adapted to fit one of the receiving spaces 20 according to one of the energy storage blocks 7, so that the pump and tank unit 35 can be inserted into one of the receiving spaces 20. As previously described for the energy storage blocks 7, the pump and tank unit 35 can include sliding guides and / or plug-in contours so that it can be inserted into the corresponding sliding guides and / or plug-in contours of the respective receiving space 20.

[0101] Similar to Figure 7 In the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 6 The EMC filter 13 can also be omitted in the above-mentioned embodiment, and / or the switch cabinet housing 10 can be accommodated accordingly. Figure 7Another exemplary embodiment of a tank and pump module is shown.

Claims

1. An energy storage device having a switch cabinet housing (10), wherein a plurality of accommodating spaces (20) are provided in the switch cabinet housing, in which at least one control device (9) and a variable number of energy storage blocks (7) are interchangeably accommodated, wherein: The energy storage blocks (7) can be selectively connected in series or in parallel with one another and connected to the power supply terminals (11, 12) via a current regulator (8), characterized in that the current regulator (8) is designed to be scalable and operates at different scalability levels depending on the number of energy storage blocks (7) used and their parallel and / or series connection. The current regulator (8) comprises an expandable multi-phase structure and / or comprises a plurality of regulating elements which are expandable by being connected in parallel. The current regulator (8) is expanded by switching elements or phases of the current regulator (8) on or off.

2. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein A detection device is provided for detecting the number of the energy storage blocks used and / or their parallel and / or series connection, and an expansion device automatically expands the current regulator (8) according to a signal from the detection device.

3. The energy storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one DC / DC regulator is provided as the current regulator (8), wherein a frequency converter that can be switched on and off and / or an AC / DC converter that can be switched on and off are provided, so that the energy storage device can be selectively used for an AC system when the frequency converter and / or the AC / DC converter are switched on and for a DC system when the frequency converter and / or the AC / DC converter are switched off.

4. The energy storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Energy storage blocks (7) of different designs can be accommodated and exchanged with each other in the accommodation space (20) of the switch cabinet housing (10), wherein the energy storage blocks (7) include at least two of the following energy storage block types: capacitor units, batteries, and fuel cells.

5. The energy storage device according to claim 4, wherein: An energy storage block (7) having a double-layer capacitor and an energy storage block (7) having a battery are simultaneously accommodated in the switch cabinet housing (10).

6. The energy storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A cooling device (16) is provided for cooling the energy storage block (7) and / or the control device (9) and / or the current regulator (8), and the cooling device is at least partially accommodated in the switch cabinet housing (10), wherein the cooling device (16) includes a cooling module, which can be reconfigured for different power configurations of the energy storage block (7) and / or for different energy storage blocks.

7. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein: The cooling device (16) comprises at least one liquid cooling module (17), which has a coolant line (18) in the switch cabinet housing (10), and the coolant line extends along and / or through a receiving bracket for holding the energy storage block (7) at the receiving space (20).

8. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein: The cooling device (16) comprises at least one air cooling module (30), wherein heat sinks (31) and at least one cooling fan (32) for generating cooling air flowing through the heat sinks (31) are provided at the accommodation space and / or between the accommodation spaces and / or at the energy storage block (7).

9. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein: The cooling device (16) comprises at least one two-phase cooling module, wherein the two-phase cooling module has a coolant container at at least one of the accommodating spaces (20) and / or at least one of the energy storage blocks (7), and the coolant container is filled with a coolant that evaporates at a low temperature.

10. The energy storage device according to claim 9, wherein: The cooling liquid has a boiling point of less than 70°C, or less than 50°C, or less than 35°C.

11. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein: The cooling device (16) comprises a pump and / or tank unit (35) which is adapted to the energy storage block (7) in terms of shape and size so that the pump and / or tank unit (35) can be inserted into the receiving space (20) for the energy storage block (7) in the switch cabinet housing (10).

12. The energy storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one EMC filter (13) for suppressing or reducing electromagnetic interference is accommodated in the switch cabinet housing (10).

13. The energy storage device according to claim 12, wherein: At least one EMC filter (13) for suppressing or reducing electromagnetic interference is inserted into one of the receiving spaces (20).

14. The energy storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A separator for automatically separating the energy storage block (7) from the current regulator (8) in the event of a fault is provided in the switch cabinet housing (10).

15. The energy storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A plurality of switch cabinet housings (10) are provided, each of the switch cabinet housings comprising the energy storage block (7) accommodated in the accommodation space (20), wherein the plurality of switch cabinet housings (10) accommodating the power terminals (11, 12) of the energy storage block (7) are selectively connected in parallel or in series.

16. The energy storage device according to claim 15, wherein: At least two of the plurality of switch cabinet housings (10) each include a liquid cooling module (17) and are connected to a common heat exchanger (19) via a coolant line (18), the heat exchanger being housed in another separate switch cabinet.

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