Fire monitoring apparatus and method

Abstract

The fire monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an apparatus for monitoring fires in an energy storage system and includes: a fire level determination unit configured to receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors disposed inside the energy storage system and determine the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors that detect smoke; and a control unit configured to control the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a water sprinkler unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage system as fire extinguishing measures corresponding to the determined fire level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0008139, filed in Korea on January 19, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to fire monitoring equipment and methods, and more specifically, to fire monitoring equipment and methods capable of monitoring whether a fire has occurred in a battery and taking relevant measures when a fire occurs. Background Technology

[0003] In recent years, the demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, cameras, and mobile phones has increased dramatically, and electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites have also seen significant development. Therefore, research is actively underway on high-performance batteries that allow for repeated charging and discharging.

[0004] Currently available batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium batteries. Among them, lithium batteries have attracted much attention due to their almost non-existent memory effect, extremely low self-discharge rate, and high energy density compared to nickel-based batteries.

[0005] On the other hand, because these batteries are susceptible to external power surges and high temperatures, energy storage systems (ESS) with dense battery storage always pose a fire risk.

[0006] Generally, fires in energy storage systems begin with the ignition of individual battery cells, and then the fire may spread throughout the battery rack units. In this case, because a fire originating in a battery cell can spread to the entire energy storage system, it is necessary to monitor for fires and take appropriate measures immediately in the early stages of a fire. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] This disclosure is designed to address the problems of the prior art, and therefore aims to provide a fire monitoring device and method capable of monitoring fires inside energy storage systems and extinguishing them at an early stage.

[0009] These and other objects and advantages of this disclosure may be understood from the following detailed description and will become more fully apparent from exemplary embodiments thereof. Furthermore, it will be readily understood that the objects and advantages of this disclosure may be achieved by the means shown in the appended claims and combinations thereof.

[0010] Technical solutions

[0011] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the fire monitoring device can be an apparatus for monitoring fires in an energy storage system equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0012] The fire monitoring equipment may include: a fire level determination unit configured to receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors located inside the energy storage system and determine the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors that detect smoke; and a control unit configured to control the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a sprinkler unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage system as fire extinguishing measures corresponding to the determined fire level.

[0013] The fire level determination unit can be configured to determine the fire level as Level 1 when smoke is detected in only one of the multiple smoke sensors.

[0014] The fire level determination unit can be configured to determine the fire level as Level 2 when smoke is detected in several smoke sensors among multiple smoke sensors.

[0015] The control unit can be configured to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit located inside the energy storage system when the fire level is determined to be Level 1 or Level 2.

[0016] When the fire level is determined to be Level 2, the control unit can be configured to operate the fire extinguishing unit located inside the energy storage system, so that the extinguishing agent contained inside the fire extinguishing unit is injected into the energy storage system.

[0017] The water spray unit can be configured to be connected to each battery module included in the energy storage system via a pipe equipped with a spherical section, which can be broken according to the temperature of the respective battery module.

[0018] The control unit can be configured to introduce extinguishing liquid from the sprinkler unit into the pipeline when the fire level is determined to be level two.

[0019] The extinguishing liquid can be introduced into the pipeline through the water spray unit, and then into the battery module whose spherical part is damaged by the corresponding pipeline in the battery module.

[0020] The control unit can be configured to determine the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit and to operate the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage system with outside air when the determined water level is equal to or lower than a preset critical water level.

[0021] The control unit can be configured to determine the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit, and when the determined water level is equal to or lower than a preset critical water level, determine that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage system, and when the determined water level exceeds the critical water level, determine that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage system.

[0022] The control unit can be configured to receive a measured gas concentration from a gas sensor located in the energy storage system, and when the measured gas concentration is equal to or greater than a preset critical concentration, to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit located inside the energy storage system and to operate the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage system with outside air.

[0023] A fire monitoring system according to another aspect of this disclosure may include an energy storage system and a fire monitoring device according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0024] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the fire monitoring method can be used to monitor fires in an energy storage system equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0025] The fire monitoring method may include: a smoke detection signal receiving step of receiving smoke detection signals from smoke sensors installed inside the energy storage system; a fire level determination step of determining the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors that detect smoke when smoke is detected; and a fire control step of controlling the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a sprinkler unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage system as a fire extinguishing measure corresponding to the determined fire level.

[0026] The fire monitoring method may further include a ventilation control step in parallel with the smoke detection signal receiving step: the ventilation control step receives the measured gas concentration from the gas sensor installed in the energy storage system, and controls the operation of the air conditioning unit and the ventilation unit based on the comparison result of the measured gas concentration with the preset critical concentration.

[0027] Beneficial effects

[0028] According to one aspect of this disclosure, its advantage lies in determining the fire severity level based on smoke generated within the energy storage system, and implementing appropriate fire suppression measures according to the determined fire severity level. Therefore, even if a fire occurs within the energy storage system, it can be extinguished at an early stage.

[0029] Furthermore, according to one aspect of this disclosure, fire extinguishing measures can be implemented based on the concentration of gases included in the energy storage system. Therefore, accidents such as explosions of the energy storage system can be prevented in advance.

[0030] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above. Other effects not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art based on the appended claims. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, are intended to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to the drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 4 It is shown in detail Figure 3 A schematic diagram of fire monitoring methods.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0037] It should be understood that the terms used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to their general and dictionary meanings, but rather as being interpreted based on their meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of this disclosure, on the basis of allowing the inventors to define the terms appropriately for the best interpretation.

[0038] Therefore, the description given 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 may be conceived thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] Furthermore, in describing this disclosure, detailed descriptions are omitted where such descriptions would obscure the key subject matter of the disclosure.

[0040] Terms including ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” can be used to distinguish one element from another in different elements, but are not intended to limit elements.

[0041] Throughout this specification, when a section is referred to as “containing” or “including” any element, it means that the section may further include other elements and does not exclude other elements, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0042] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as being “connected” to another part, this is not limited to the case where they are “directly connected”, but also includes the case where there is an “indirect connection” between them where another element is inserted.

[0043] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the fire monitoring device 100 can be a device for monitoring fires in an energy storage system 200 equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0046] First refer to Figure 2 The fire monitoring system may include fire monitoring equipment 100, energy storage system 200, and sprinkler unit 300. Figure 2 In a non-limiting embodiment, the water spray unit 300 is shown outside the fire monitoring device 100 and the energy storage system 200; however, it should be noted that the water spray unit 300 may be located inside the energy storage system 200.

[0047] The energy storage system 200 may include multiple battery racks R1 to R5, a smoke sensor 210, a gas sensor 220, an air conditioning unit 230, a fire extinguishing unit 240, and a ventilation unit 250.

[0048] Multiple battery racks R1 to R5 can be individual assemblies included in the energy storage system 200.

[0049] For example, a battery rack can be formed in a frame structure that can house battery modules. Each battery rack can include multiple battery modules. Furthermore, each battery module can include multiple individual battery cells.

[0050] Here, a battery cell refers to a separable, independent unit with a negative and a positive terminal. As an example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery can be considered a battery cell. Figure 2 In a non-limiting embodiment, an example is shown in which five battery racks R1 to R5 are provided in the energy storage system 200. However, it should be noted that there is no limitation on the number of battery racks that can be included in the energy storage system 200.

[0051] The smoke sensor 210 is a sensor capable of detecting smoke generated inside the energy storage system 200. Preferably, multiple smoke sensors 210 can be provided inside the energy storage system 200.

[0052] Gas sensor 220 is a sensor capable of detecting gases generated inside energy storage system 200. For example, gas sensor 220 can detect H2.

[0053] An air conditioning unit 230 can be installed inside the energy storage system 200. Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 230 can be configured to circulate the internal air of the energy storage system 200. That is, the air conditioning unit 230 can reduce the temperature of the internal air through heat exchange between the internal air and the external air of the energy storage system 200, and circulate the internal air with the reduced temperature. For example, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) can be applied to the air conditioning unit 230.

[0054] The fire suppression unit 240 can be installed inside the energy storage system 200. Furthermore, when operating the fire suppression unit 240, the extinguishing agent stored in the fire suppression unit 240 can be sprayed into the energy storage system 200. For example, NOVEC1230 can be applied to the fire suppression unit 240.

[0055] Ventilation unit 250 can be installed in energy storage system 200. When ventilation unit 250 is operated, outside air can be introduced into energy storage system 200. That is, ventilation unit 250 can be configured to ventilate energy storage system 200. For example, an active ventilation system (AVS) can be applied to ventilation unit 250.

[0056] The sprinkler unit 300 can be configured to store extinguishing liquid. Furthermore, the sprinkler unit 300 can be configured to be connected via a conduit PL to each battery module included in the energy storage system 200, the conduit PL being equipped with a bulb that breaks down according to the temperature of the respective battery module. For example, the conduit PL can be connected to multiple battery modules included in each battery rack.

[0057] Furthermore, a spherical section can be provided at the end of the pipe PL connected to the battery module. If the temperature of the corresponding battery module rises above a certain temperature, the spherical section will be destroyed. That is, when the water spray unit 300 operates and the extinguishing liquid is introduced into the pipe PL, the extinguishing liquid can be sprayed into the corresponding battery module through the spherical section of the pipe PL that has been destroyed. In other words, the extinguishing liquid can be introduced into the pipe PL through the water spray unit 300, and can be introduced into the battery modules in which the spherical section of the corresponding pipe PL has been destroyed among multiple battery modules. For example, the extinguishing liquid can be applied without limitation as long as it is used to extinguish a fire generated in the battery module. In one embodiment, the extinguishing liquid can be water.

[0058] refer to Figure 1The fire monitoring equipment 100 may include a fire level determination unit 110 and a control unit 120.

[0059] The fire level determination unit 110 can be configured to receive smoke detection signals from the smoke sensor 210 located inside the energy storage system 200.

[0060] Specifically, the fire level determination unit 110 can be connected to the smoke sensor 210 located inside the energy storage system 200 via wired and / or wireless communication.

[0061] The following assumes that multiple smoke sensors 210 are installed inside the energy storage system 200. The fire level determination unit 110 can be connected to each of the multiple smoke sensors 210 and receive smoke detection signals from each smoke sensor 210.

[0062] The fire level determination unit 110 can be configured to determine the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors 210 that detect smoke.

[0063] Specifically, when smoke is detected in only one of the multiple smoke sensors 210, the fire level determination unit 110 can be configured to determine the fire level as Level 1. Conversely, when smoke is detected in several of the multiple smoke sensors 210, the fire level determination unit 110 can be configured to determine the fire level as Level 2.

[0064] For example, the fire level determination unit 110 can receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors 210, which detect smoke generated inside the energy storage system 200. Because the fire level determination unit 110 is connected to each of the plurality of smoke sensors 210, the number of smoke detection signals received from each smoke sensor 210 can be determined. Therefore, the fire level determination unit 110 can determine the fire level as either a first level or a second level based on the number of received smoke detection signals.

[0065] The control unit 120 can be configured to control the operation of at least one of the air conditioning unit 230, fire extinguishing unit 240, sprinkler unit 300 and ventilation unit 250 for the energy storage system 200 as fire extinguishing measures corresponding to a determined fire level.

[0066] Specifically, the control unit 120 can execute fire extinguishing measures corresponding to a determined fire level. That is, the fire extinguishing measures executed when the fire level is first level may be partially different from the fire extinguishing measures executed when the fire level is second level.

[0067] The appropriate fire suppression measures, depending on the fire severity, can be derived from the number of smoke sensors 210 that detected smoke. When extinguishing agent is injected into the battery module or when extinguishing liquid is introduced into the battery module, the corresponding battery module and / or the battery modules installed in the energy storage system 200 become unusable. Therefore, it is preferable to implement fire suppression measures only after accurately determining whether a fire has actually occurred in the energy storage system 200.

[0068] For example, typically, the energy storage system 200 is sealed from the outside, and the internal air is circulated through the air conditioning unit 230. In this case, if smoke is detected by only one smoke sensor 210, the probability of a false alarm in the smoke sensor 210 is greater than the probability of smoke being generated due to a fire. Conversely, if smoke is detected by multiple smoke sensors 210, the probability of smoke being generated due to a fire is greater than the probability of multiple smoke sensors 210 having false alarms. Therefore, the control unit 120 can be configured to perform fire suppression measures based on the fire level determined by the number of smoke sensors 210 that have detected smoke.

[0069] Therefore, the fire monitoring device 100 according to embodiments of this disclosure can consider the possibility of a sensing error by the smoke sensor 210, monitor whether a fire has occurred in the energy storage system 200, and take appropriate fire extinguishing measures in response to the monitoring results. For example, in the case of a sensing error by the smoke sensor 210, the advantage is that the energy storage system 200 can be protected by performing only minimal measures. Conversely, in the case of a fire, the advantage is that fire extinguishing measures can be performed early and the fire can be extinguished quickly.

[0070] Meanwhile, the control unit 120 included in the fire monitoring device 100 may optionally include application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), another chipset, logic circuits, registers, communication modems, and data processing devices, etc., known in the art, to execute the various control logics disclosed below. Furthermore, when the control logic is implemented as software, the control unit 120 can be implemented as a set of program modules. In this case, the program modules can be stored in memory and executed by the control unit 120. The memory can be internal or external to the control unit 120 and can be connected to the control unit 120 via various known devices.

[0071] Furthermore, the fire monitoring device 100 may further include a storage unit 130. The storage unit 130 may store data necessary for the operation and function of each component of the fire monitoring device 100, data generated during the execution of operations or functions, etc. There are no particular limitations on the type of storage unit 130, as long as it is a known information storage device capable of recording, erasing, updating, and retrieving data. As examples, the information storage device may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, etc. In addition, the storage unit 130 may store program code defining a process that can be executed by the control unit 120.

[0072] The following describes in detail the firefighting measures based on the determined fire severity level.

[0073] When the fire level is determined to be Level 1 or Level 2, the control unit 120 can be configured to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 located inside the energy storage system 200.

[0074] Specifically, the control unit 120 can be connected to the air conditioning unit 230 disposed in the energy storage system 200. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can control the operation of the air conditioning unit 230.

[0075] Generally, under normal circumstances where no fire occurs in the energy storage system 200, the air conditioning unit 230 is always operating to circulate the air inside the energy storage system 200.

[0076] However, when the fire level is determined to be Level 1 or Level 2, that is, when smoke is detected by one or more smoke sensors 210, the smoke or fire will easily spread inside the energy storage system 200 if the air conditioning unit 230 continues to operate.

[0077] If the fire level is Level 1, there is a possibility that the smoke sensor 210 may malfunction, but the possibility that smoke may actually be detected by only one smoke sensor 210 cannot be ruled out. If smoke is actually detected by one smoke sensor 210, there is a risk that the smoke and / or fire may spread to the energy storage system 200 while the air conditioning unit 230 continues to operate. Therefore, the control unit 120 can be configured to stop operating the air conditioning unit 230 even if the fire level is Level 1.

[0078] Furthermore, when the fire level is level two, because smoke is likely to be generated inside the energy storage system 200, the control unit 120 can be configured to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit 230.

[0079] Therefore, when the fire level is determined to be Level 1 or Level 2, the control unit 120 can stop the circulation of internal air in the energy storage system 200 by stopping the operation of the air conditioning unit 230.

[0080] Similarly, when the fire level is determined to be Level 2, the control unit 120 can be configured to operate the fire extinguishing unit 240 located inside the energy storage system 200. Here, when the fire extinguishing unit 240 is operated via the control unit 120, the fire extinguishing agent included in the fire extinguishing unit 240 can be injected into the energy storage system 200.

[0081] Specifically, the control unit 120 can be connected to the fire extinguishing unit 240 located inside the energy storage system 200. Furthermore, the operation of the fire extinguishing unit 240 can be controlled via the control unit 120.

[0082] For example, when the fire level is determined to be Level 2, the control unit 120 can first stop the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 to prevent smoke and / or fire from spreading within the energy storage system 200. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can inject extinguishing agent into the energy storage system 200 by operating the fire extinguishing unit 240.

[0083] Fires that may occur in the energy storage system 200 can be categorized into electrical fires and battery fires.

[0084] An electrical fire refers to a fire that may be caused by electrical reasons, such as an overcurrent flowing in the energy storage system 200.

[0085] Battery fires refer to fires caused by internal problems in individual battery cells, such as contact between the positive and negative active materials due to lithium plating (internal short circuit) or leaks in the battery cell due to expansion.

[0086] To extinguish an electrical fire, an extinguishing agent needs to be injected, while to extinguish a battery fire, water needs to be injected into the battery module. However, the detected smoke alone cannot accurately distinguish between electrical and battery fires.

[0087] Therefore, when the fire level is determined to be Level 2, the control unit 120 can first operate the fire extinguishing unit 240 to inject the fire extinguishing agent into the energy storage system 200, thereby extinguishing the electrical fire.

[0088] In addition, when the fire level is determined to be Level 2, the control unit 120 can be configured to operate the sprinkler unit 300 to introduce the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit 300 into the pipeline PL.

[0089] Specifically, the control unit 120 can be connected to the water spray unit 300 to control the operation of the water spray unit 300.

[0090] When the fire level is determined to be Level 2, the control unit 120 can operate the fire extinguishing unit 240 to inject the fire extinguishing agent into the energy storage system 200 and operate the water spray unit 300 to introduce the fire extinguishing liquid into the pipeline PL.

[0091] For example, if the fire occurring in the energy storage system 200 is an electrical fire, the temperature of the battery modules included in the battery rack may not necessarily rise. Therefore, although extinguishing fluid is introduced into the PL pipe, because the spherical part installed in the PL pipe is not damaged, the extinguishing fluid may not necessarily be introduced into the battery modules. On the other hand, an electrical fire can be extinguished by injecting an extinguishing agent.

[0092] As another example, if the fire occurring in the energy storage system 200 is a battery fire, the temperature of the battery module where the fire occurs may rise rapidly. In this case, the spherical portion corresponding to the respective battery module may be damaged, and extinguishing fluid can be introduced into the respective battery module through pipe PL. Therefore, the battery fire can be extinguished using extinguishing fluid.

[0093] In this way, when the determined fire level is Level 2, the control unit 120 can control the operation of the fire extinguishing unit 240 and the sprinkler unit 300 to extinguish both electrical and battery fires. Therefore, fires that may be caused by different reasons can be effectively extinguished.

[0094] The control unit 120 can be configured to determine the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit 300.

[0095] Specifically, the control unit 120 can operate the sprinkler unit 300 to introduce fire extinguishing liquid into the pipeline PL, and then determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid stored in the sprinkler unit 300.

[0096] For example, the sprinkler unit 300 may include a water level sensor that measures the level of the extinguishing fluid. The water level sensor is communicatively connected to the control unit 120 and can transmit information about the measured water level to the control unit 120 in each preset cycle. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can determine the water level of the extinguishing fluid based on the water level information received from the water level sensor.

[0097] The control unit 120 can be configured to ventilate the energy storage system 200 with outside air by operating the ventilation unit 250 when the determined water level is equal to or lower than a preset critical water level.

[0098] Specifically, when the extinguishing fluid level is equal to or below the critical level, it is possible that the extinguishing fluid included in the sprinkler unit 300 is introduced into at least one battery module. As mentioned above, even if the extinguishing fluid is introduced into the pipe PL, it will not be introduced into the battery module unless the bulbous part is damaged. Therefore, when the extinguishing fluid level drops below the critical level, it means that at least one of the multiple bulbous parts included in the pipe PL is damaged, and this may indicate that the extinguishing fluid has been introduced into at least one battery module.

[0099] When fire extinguishing liquid is directly introduced into the battery module to extinguish a battery fire, the energy storage system 200 may contain a large amount of fire extinguishing agent (injected by operating the fire extinguishing unit 240), water vapor, and H2. Therefore, the control unit 120 can prevent the energy storage system 200 from exploding by operating the ventilation unit 250 to ventilate the energy storage system 200.

[0100] The fire monitoring device 100 according to embodiments of this disclosure has the advantage of considering various situations that may lead to electrical fires, battery fires, and explosions, and implementing appropriate fire extinguishing measures for each situation. Therefore, even if a fire occurs in the energy storage system 200, the fire can be extinguished early, and a larger accident can be avoided.

[0101] Simultaneously, the control unit 120 can be configured to determine that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage system 200 when the determined water level is less than or equal to a preset critical water level. Conversely, the control unit 120 can be configured to determine that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage system 200 when the determined water level exceeds the critical water level.

[0102] Specifically, when the fire level is determined to be Level 2, it is possible that the fire occurred inside the energy storage system 200. However, based solely on the smoke detection signal from the smoke sensor 210, it is not easy to distinguish whether the fire is caused by an electrical fire or a battery fire.

[0103] As described above, in the event of a battery fire, the battery module's temperature rises rapidly, potentially damaging the corresponding spherical portion, and the extinguishing fluid introduced into the pipes may be introduced into the battery module. Therefore, in the event of a battery fire, the water level of the extinguishing fluid, including in the sprinkler unit 300, may drop below the critical water level.

[0104] On the other hand, in the event of an electrical fire, because the spherical part is not damaged, the water level of the extinguishing liquid will not be lowered below the critical level even if smoke is detected.

[0105] In other words, after the control unit 120 operates the fire extinguishing unit 240 and the water spraying unit 300, the cause of the fire can be classified as an electrical fire or a battery fire based on the comparison between the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid and the preset critical water level.

[0106] Therefore, the fire monitoring device 100 according to embodiments of this disclosure can not only extinguish fires occurring in the energy storage system 200 at an early stage, but also analyze the causes of the fires in detail. Furthermore, the fire monitoring device 100 has the advantage of providing the necessary information for fire cause analysis by notifying users or external parties of the specific causes of the fire.

[0107] The control unit 120 can be configured to receive a measured gas concentration from a gas sensor 220 disposed in the energy storage system 200.

[0108] Specifically, the control unit 120 can be communicatively connected to the gas sensor 220 disposed in the energy storage system 200. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can receive information about the gas concentration measured by the gas sensor 220.

[0109] For example, the gas measured by gas sensor 220 may be a flammable or explosive gas. More specifically, the gas measured by gas sensor 220 may be H2. That is, gas sensor 220 can be configured to measure the concentration of H2.

[0110] The control unit 120 can be configured to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 located inside the energy storage system 200 when the measured gas concentration is equal to or greater than a preset critical concentration.

[0111] For example, because there is a risk of explosion of the energy storage system 200 when the gas concentration exceeds the critical concentration, the control unit 120 can stop the air conditioning unit 230 from circulating the internal air of the energy storage system 200.

[0112] Furthermore, the control unit 120 can be configured to operate the ventilation unit 250 to ventilate the energy storage system 200 with outside air. That is, the control unit 120 can operate the ventilation unit 250 to discharge the gas contained within the sealed interior of the energy storage system 200 to the outside. Therefore, as the concentration of the gas contained in the energy storage system 200 gradually decreases, the risk of explosion of the energy storage system 200 can be reduced.

[0113] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the fire monitoring device 100 can take into account the gas concentration in the energy storage system 200 and the smoke generated inside the energy storage system 200 to perform fire extinguishing measures.

[0114] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0115] Preferably, each step of the fire monitoring method can be performed by the fire monitoring device 100. For ease of explanation, content that is repeated above will be omitted or briefly described below.

[0116] Fire monitoring methods can include methods for monitoring fires in an energy storage system 200 equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0117] refer to Figure 3 The fire monitoring method may include a smoke detection signal receiving step (S100), a fire level determination step (S200), and a fire control step (S300).

[0118] The smoke detection signal receiving step (S100) is a step of receiving a smoke detection signal from a smoke sensor 210 installed inside the energy storage system 200, and can be executed by the fire level determination unit 110.

[0119] For example, the fire level determination unit 110 can be connected to multiple smoke sensors 210 and receive smoke detection signals from each smoke sensor 210.

[0120] The fire level determination step (S200) is a step of determining the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors 210 that detect smoke when smoke is detected, and it can be executed by the fire level determination unit 110.

[0121] For example, when receiving a smoke detection signal from one smoke sensor 210, the fire level determination unit 110 can determine the fire level as Level 1. As another example, when receiving smoke detection signals from multiple smoke sensors 210, the fire level determination unit 110 can determine the fire level as Level 2. If the fire level determination unit 110 does not receive a smoke detection signal, it can determine the fire level as Level 0 or NULL.

[0122] The fire control step (S300) is a step of controlling the operation of at least one of the air conditioning unit 230, fire extinguishing unit 240, water sprinkler unit 300 and ventilation unit 250 for the energy storage system 200 as a fire extinguishing measure corresponding to a determined fire level, and can be executed by the control unit 120.

[0123] The following is for reference. Figure 4 Describe the fire control procedures in detail (S300).

[0124] Figure 4 It is shown in detail Figure 3 A schematic diagram of fire monitoring methods.

[0125] refer to Figure 4 The fire control steps (S300) may include steps S310 to S370.

[0126] In step S310, it can be determined whether the fire level determined in the fire level determination step (S200) is level one or level two. If the determined fire level is level one or level two, step S320 can be executed; otherwise, the smoke detection signal receiving step (S100) can be executed.

[0127] In step S320, the control unit 120 may stop the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 installed in the energy storage system 200. Therefore, the circulation of internal air in the energy storage system 200 may be stopped.

[0128] In step S330, it can be determined whether the fire level determined in the fire level determination step (S200) is level two. If the determined fire level is level two, step S330 can be executed; otherwise, the smoke detection signal receiving step (S100) can be executed.

[0129] In step S340, the control unit 120 can operate the fire extinguishing unit 240. Specifically, the control unit 120 can operate the fire extinguishing unit 240 to extinguish an electrical fire that may occur at the second fire level. In this case, the extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing unit 240 can be injected into the energy storage system 200.

[0130] In step S350, the control unit 120 can operate the sprinkler unit 300. Specifically, the control unit 120 can operate the sprinkler unit 300 to extinguish a battery fire that may occur at the second fire level. In this case, the extinguishing liquid stored in the sprinkler unit 300 can be introduced into the pipeline PL.

[0131] In step S360, it can be determined whether the water level of the spray unit 300 (including the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the spray unit 300) is equal to or less than the critical water level. If the water level of the spray unit 300 is equal to or less than the critical water level, step S370 can be executed; otherwise, step S350 can be executed.

[0132] Here, if the water level in the sprinkler unit 300 is equal to or less than the critical water level, this means that at least one of the multiple spherical sections included in the pipe PL is damaged. Furthermore, since the extinguishing fluid is introduced into the battery module through the damaged spherical section, this means that the water level in the sprinkler unit 300 drops below the critical water level.

[0133] On the other hand, if, after executing step S350, the water level of the sprinkler unit 300 does not drop below the critical water level even after a predetermined time has elapsed, this means that the multiple spherical sections installed in the pipe PL have not been damaged. In this case, the smoke detected by the multiple smoke sensors 110 is smoke caused by an electrical fire, and the electrical fire can be extinguished by operating the fire extinguishing unit 240 in step S340. Therefore, because the spherical sections have not been damaged, the water level of the sprinkler unit 300 may not drop below the critical water level. Although in Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is not shown in the figure, but if the water level of the water spray unit 300 does not drop below the critical water level after a predetermined time has elapsed after the first execution of step S350, the control unit 120 may execute the start step again.

[0134] In step S370, the control unit 120 can operate the ventilation unit 250. Specifically, when extinguishing a battery fire by introducing extinguishing liquid into the battery module, the control unit 120 can operate the ventilation unit 250 to handle the extinguishing agent, water vapor, and H2 contained in the energy storage system 200. In this case, outside air is introduced into the energy storage system 200, and the energy storage system 200 can be ventilated. Therefore, because the gases contained in the energy storage system 200 can escape, the possibility of an explosion of the energy storage system 200 can be reduced.

[0135] The fire monitoring method according to embodiments of this disclosure can appropriately control the air conditioning unit 230, fire extinguishing unit 240, sprinkler unit 300, and ventilation unit 250 based on the number of sensors that detect smoke, and execute fire extinguishing measures. Therefore, this fire monitoring method has the advantage of being able to distinguish between cases where the smoke sensor 210 malfunctions, and taking appropriate fire extinguishing measures to correspond to the type of fire (electrical fire or battery fire) even if a fire occurs.

[0136] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0137] refer to Figure 5 The fire monitoring method may further include ventilation control steps (S400).

[0138] The ventilation control step (S400) is a step that can be executed in parallel with the smoke detection signal receiving step (S100).

[0139] The ventilation control step (S400) is a step of receiving the measured gas concentration from the gas sensor 220 installed in the energy storage system 200 and controlling the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 and the ventilation unit 250 based on the comparison result of the measured gas concentration with the preset critical concentration, and can be executed by the control unit 120.

[0140] Specifically, in step S410, the control unit 120 may receive information about gas concentration from the gas sensor 220 disposed in the energy storage system 200.

[0141] In step S420, it can be determined whether the gas concentration is equal to or greater than a preset critical concentration. If the gas concentration is equal to or greater than the preset critical concentration, step S430 can be executed; otherwise, step S410 can be executed.

[0142] In step S430, the control unit 120 may stop the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 installed in the energy storage system 200. Therefore, the circulation of internal air in the energy storage system 200 may be stopped.

[0143] In step S440, the control unit 120 may operate the ventilation unit 250. Specifically, the control unit 120 may operate the ventilation unit 250 to prevent the energy storage system 200 from exploding when a gas concentration equal to or greater than a critical concentration is contained within the energy storage system 200.

[0144] For example, the gas whose concentration is measured by gas sensor 220 may be a flammable or explosive gas. More specifically, the gas may be H2.

[0145] If H2 concentrations equal to or greater than the critical concentration are distributed within a closed energy storage system 200, an explosion may occur when H2 comes into contact with a spark or similar object. Therefore, the control unit 120 can significantly reduce the likelihood of an explosion in the energy storage system 200 by operating the ventilation unit 250 when the gas concentration is equal to or greater than the critical concentration to discharge the gas to the outside of the energy storage system 200.

[0146] The embodiments of this disclosure described above can be implemented not only by devices and methods, but also by a program that implements functions corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of this disclosure, or a recording medium that records the program. Based on the above description of the embodiments, the program or recording medium can be readily implemented by those skilled in the art.

[0147] 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 variations and modifications within the scope of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0148] Furthermore, since those skilled in the art can substitute, modify, and alter the above-described disclosure in various ways without departing from the technical concept of the disclosure, the disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and drawings, and all or part of the embodiments can be selectively combined to achieve various modifications.

[0149] (Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram)

[0150] 100: Fire monitoring equipment

[0151] 110: Fire Situation Level Determination Unit

[0152] 120: Control Unit

[0153] 130: Storage unit

[0154] 200: Energy Storage System

[0155] 210: Smoke Sensor

[0156] 220: Gas sensor

[0157] 230: Air conditioning unit

[0158] 240: Firefighting Unit

[0159] 250: Ventilation unit

[0160] 300: Water spray unit

Claims

1. A fire monitoring device for monitoring fires in an energy storage system equipped with multiple battery modules, the fire monitoring device comprising: A fire level determination unit is configured to receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors located inside the energy storage system and determine the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors that detect the smoke. as well as A control unit, configured to control the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire suppression unit, a sprinkler unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage system, as a fire suppression measure corresponding to a determined fire level. The control unit is configured to determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit, and to operate the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage system with outside air when the determined water level is equal to or lower than a preset critical water level.

2. A fire monitoring device for monitoring fires in an energy storage system equipped with multiple battery modules, the fire monitoring device comprising: A fire level determination unit is configured to receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors located inside the energy storage system and determine the fire level based on the number of smoke sensors that detect the smoke. as well as A control unit, configured to control the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire suppression unit, a sprinkler unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage system, as a fire suppression measure corresponding to a determined fire level. The control unit is configured as follows: Determine the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit. When the determined water level is equal to or lower than the preset critical water level, it is determined that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage system, and When the determined water level exceeds the critical water level, it is determined that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage system.

3. The fire monitoring equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The fire severity determination unit is configured as follows: When smoke is detected in only one of the multiple smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be Level 1. When smoke is detected in several of the multiple smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be Level 2.

4. The fire monitoring equipment according to claim 3, in, The control unit is configured to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit located inside the energy storage system when the fire level is determined to be either the first level or the second level.

5. The fire monitoring equipment according to claim 3, in, When the fire level is determined to be the second level, the control unit is configured to operate the fire extinguishing unit located inside the energy storage system, such that the fire extinguishing agent contained inside the fire extinguishing unit is injected into the energy storage system.

6. The fire monitoring equipment according to claim 3, in, The water spray unit is configured to be connected to each battery module included in the energy storage system via a pipe equipped with a spherical section, the spherical section being capable of being broken according to the temperature of the respective battery module, and The control unit is configured to, when the fire level is determined to be the second level, operate the sprinkler unit to introduce the extinguishing liquid contained in the sprinkler unit into the pipeline.

7. The fire monitoring equipment according to claim 6, in, The extinguishing liquid is introduced into the pipe through the water spray unit and into the battery module in which the spherical portion of the corresponding pipe is damaged.

8. The fire monitoring equipment according to claim 1 or 2, in, The control unit is configured to receive a measured gas concentration from a gas sensor installed in the energy storage system, and when the measured gas concentration is equal to or greater than a preset critical concentration, to stop the operation of the air conditioning unit installed inside the energy storage system and to operate the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage system with outside air.

9. A fire monitoring system, comprising an energy storage system and a fire monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A fire monitoring method for monitoring fires in an energy storage system equipped with multiple battery modules, the fire monitoring method comprising: A smoke detection signal receiving step, which receives a smoke detection signal from a smoke sensor located inside the energy storage system; When the smoke is detected, a fire level determination step is performed based on the number of smoke sensors that detected the smoke to determine the fire level. as well as Controlling the operation of at least one of the air conditioning unit, fire suppression unit, sprinkler unit, and ventilation unit for the energy storage system as a fire control step corresponding to the determined fire severity level. The method further includes: Determine the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit, and operate the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage system with outside air when the determined water level is equal to or lower than a preset critical water level.

11. A fire monitoring method for monitoring fires in an energy storage system equipped with multiple battery modules, the fire monitoring method comprising: A smoke detection signal receiving step, which receives a smoke detection signal from a smoke sensor located inside the energy storage system; When the smoke is detected, a fire level determination step is performed based on the number of smoke sensors that detected the smoke to determine the fire level. as well as Controlling the operation of at least one of the air conditioning unit, fire suppression unit, sprinkler unit, and ventilation unit for the energy storage system as a fire control step corresponding to the determined fire severity level. The method further includes: Determine the water level of the extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit. When the determined water level is equal to or lower than the preset critical water level, it is determined that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage system, and When the determined water level exceeds the critical water level, it is determined that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage system.

12. The fire monitoring method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising: When smoke is detected in only one of the multiple smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be Level 1. When smoke is detected in several of the multiple smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be Level 2.

13. The fire monitoring method according to claim 12, further comprising: When the fire level is determined to be either the first or the second level, the operation of the air conditioning unit installed inside the energy storage system shall be stopped.

14. The fire monitoring method according to claim 12, further comprising: When the fire level is determined to be the second level, the fire extinguishing unit located inside the energy storage system is operated, so that the fire extinguishing agent contained inside the fire extinguishing unit is injected into the energy storage system.

15. The fire monitoring method according to claim 12, in, The water spray unit is configured to be connected to each battery module included in the energy storage system via a pipe equipped with a spherical section, the spherical section being capable of being broken according to the temperature of the respective battery module, and The fire monitoring method further includes, when the fire level is determined to be the second level, introducing the fire extinguishing liquid in the sprinkler unit into the pipeline by operating the sprinkler unit.

16. The fire monitoring method according to claim 15, in, The extinguishing liquid is introduced into the pipe through the water spray unit and into the battery module in which the spherical portion of the corresponding pipe is damaged.

17. The fire monitoring method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising: A ventilation control step, which runs parallel to the smoke detection signal receiving step, receives a measured gas concentration from a gas sensor located in the energy storage system, and controls the operation of the air conditioning unit and the ventilation unit based on a comparison between the measured gas concentration and a preset critical concentration.

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