Energy storage system

Abstract

An energy storage system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a plurality of battery packs, each of which comprises a plurality of battery cells and a pair of side plates covering the plurality of battery cells on both sides; and a battery rack including a rack frame facing the side plate, and in which the plurality of battery packs can be accommodated by being stacked in a vertical direction. The pair of side plates includes a guide rail on an outer surface thereof, the guide rail including: an upper member extending from one end to the other end in a longitudinal direction of the battery pack; and a lower member, the lower member being parallel to the upper member. The rack frame includes a pin that protrudes in a direction toward the side plates and is located between the upper member and the lower member, and accommodates the plurality of battery packs by inserting the pin between the guide rails.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an energy storage system, and more particularly, to an energy storage system capable of reducing weight and cost by applying a new structure to a battery pack and a battery rack that can stack and accommodate the battery pack. This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0173092 filed in Korea on December 12, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] Generally, smart grids are considered to be future power grids that optimize the operational efficiency of power grids through two-way communication between suppliers and consumers while observing and controlling the power grids in real time by combining information and communication technologies with existing power systems. This enables connection with new power equipment such as renewable energy generation or charging systems for electric vehicles that have increased recently, and can improve power usage efficiency by providing consumers with power usage information in real time, thereby expected to have the effect of reducing unnecessary investment in power generation facilities and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recently, due to issues such as power grid modernization plans and the expansion of renewable energy, attention to smart grids is also increasing, and research on them is being actively conducted.

[0003] One of the core technologies related to the smart grid is the energy storage system. This is to facilitate load balancing by storing electricity during off-peak hours and then using the stored electrical energy during peak hours. The energy storage system can help to use power facilities efficiently.

[0004] Recently, the development of lithium-ion batteries with high energy storage density has enabled the construction of high-voltage, high-capacity energy storage systems using chemical energy storage methods.

[0005] For example, a recent energy storage system may be composed of a battery pack composed of lithium-ion batteries having a high energy density and a battery rack capable of stacking and accommodating the battery packs.

[0006] Meanwhile, a plurality of battery packs and a battery rack for accommodating them have no choice but to have a significant weight to ensure necessary rigidity. A conventional battery rack has a structure with an L-shaped bracket to accommodate the battery packs.

[0007] However, since the battery pack requires its own rigidity for handling and a battery rack for stacking and accommodating the battery pack also requires rigidity to support the battery pack, after the battery pack is accommodated in the battery rack, the rigidity may be greater than necessary, resulting in problems of increased weight and cost. Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the related art, and thus the present disclosure aims to provide an energy storage system capable of reducing weight and cost by applying a new structure to a battery pack and a battery rack capable of stacking and accommodating the battery pack.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] An energy storage system for solving the above-mentioned problems according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of battery packs, the plurality of battery packs including a plurality of battery cells and a pair of side plates covering the plurality of battery cells on two side surfaces; and a battery rack, the battery rack including a rack frame, the rack frame facing the side plates so as to be able to stack and accommodate the plurality of battery packs in a vertical direction, wherein the pair of side plates have guide rails on outer surfaces, the guide rails including: an upper member extending from one end to the other end in a longitudinal direction of the battery pack; and a lower member, the lower member being parallel to the upper member, and the rack frame having a pin protruding in a direction toward the side plates and being configured to be located between the upper member and the lower member so that the pin is inserted between the guide rails to accommodate the plurality of battery packs.

[0012] The plurality of battery packs may further include a front plate covering front surfaces of the plurality of battery cells, a rear plate covering rear surfaces, and a bottom plate covering bottom surfaces.

[0013] The rack frame may stand in a vertical direction, and may have at least two pins in a longitudinal direction of the battery pack and at least two pins in a width direction of the battery pack.

[0014] The rack frame may include at least two main frames along a longitudinal direction of the battery pack and at least two main frames along a width direction of the battery pack.

[0015] The rack frame may further include at least one first additional frame located between the main frames in a longitudinal direction of the battery pack.

[0016] The first additional frame may have pins.

[0017] The rack frame may further include at least one second additional frame located between the main frames in a width direction of the battery pack.

[0018] The second additional frame may have pins.

[0019] The first additional frame may be positioned closer to any one of the two main frames positioned in the longitudinal direction of the battery pack.

[0020] The pair of side plates may have a fixing portion at one end, and the fixing portion is configured to be captured on the rack frame.

[0021] The fixing portion may be coupled to the rack frame by bolting.

[0022] The upper member and the lower member may be spaced apart from one end to the other.

[0023] The pin may include: a first portion having a first length in a protruding direction and a first height in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction; and a second portion connected to the first portion in the protruding direction and having a second length in the protruding direction, and a second height greater than the first height in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction.

[0024] Each of the upper member and the lower member may have a connecting portion, a pin receiving portion, and a pin capturing portion, wherein the connecting portion is connected to the side plate, the pin receiving portion protrudes outward from the connecting portion and is configured to form a space for receiving the second part, and the pin capturing portion is configured to prevent the second part from falling out of the space.

[0025] The pin catching portions of the upper member and the lower member may face each other.

[0026] The first portion may have a first height that is less than a distance between an end of the pin capture portion of the upper member and an end of the pin capture portion of the lower member.

[0027] The second portion may have a second height that is greater than a distance between an end of the pin capture portion of the upper member and an end of the pin capture portion of the lower member.

[0028] The side plate may include a first cover surface covering side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells, and a second cover surface bent from the first cover surface to cover at least a portion of bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells.

[0029] The side plate may be bent multiple times between the first cover surface and the second cover surface.

[0030] The fixing portion may extend from the first cover surface and may be bent vertically toward the chassis frame.

[0031] The first cover surface, the second cover surface, and the fixing portion may be integrally formed.

[0032] Beneficial Effects

[0033] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, it is not necessary to redundantly ensure the rigidity of the battery pack itself and the rigidity of an L-shaped bracket such as a battery rack for stacking and accommodating the battery pack, as in a conventional energy storage system. The battery pack can be accommodated in a simple structure by means of the pins of the rack frame and the guide rails of the battery pack, thereby reducing the weight and cost of the energy storage system.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the battery pack is accommodated by at least four main frames and at least two first additional frames. Therefore, the battery pack can be accommodated more stably than when it is accommodated by only four main frames. In addition, the battery rack can be constructed by adjusting the number of first additional frames according to the weight of the battery pack to be accommodated. Since the main frame and the first additional frame are not in the form of a surface of an enclosed space, but in the form of a column, they can help cool the heat generated from the battery pack in an air circulation manner.

[0035] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the battery rack can accommodate the battery packs by arranging and stacking the battery packs in two or more levels instead of one level. The battery rack can be constructed in various ways by adjusting the number of second additional frames according to the number of battery packs to be accommodated and the accommodation environment, which increases the expansion possibility of the energy storage system.

[0036] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, even if the installation process of the battery pack is not completed, as long as only two pins are respectively inserted into the guide rails of a pair of side plates, the battery pack is supported by the pins. Therefore, there is no need to provide additional support for the battery pack during the installation process, and the installation process of the battery pack can be stable and fast.

[0037] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the installation can be completed by confirming that the fixing part is captured on the rack frame regardless of the degree to which the battery pack is installed on the battery rack, thereby facilitating the installation process. In addition, by bolting the fixing part and the rack frame together, the battery pack can be accommodated more stably.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the first portion of the pin is stably fitted between the end of the pin capture portion of the upper member and the end of the pin capture portion of the lower member, and the second portion of the pin is accommodated in the pin receiving portion so that the pin does not fall out in the width direction of the battery pack. Therefore, this allows the battery pack to be stably accommodated.

[0039] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, by providing a recess and a protrusion on the side plate via a bending structure, other structures required for constructing a battery pack can be provided in the empty space of the recess. For example, a cooling passage or a battery management system (BMS) can be provided. The outermost surface of the protrusion is located on the same surface as the outermost surface of the guide rail, which can guide the battery pack so that the battery pack does not move in its width direction during the installation process.

[0040] Furthermore, the present disclosure may have various other effects, which will be described in each embodiment, or description of effects that are easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

[0042] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 3 is a view showing a battery pack included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 4 is a view showing a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 5 is a view showing a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 6 is a view showing a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 7 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of the local area B.

[0048] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of a local area A.

[0049] Fig. 9 is a view showing in detail a pin in a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Fig.10 is a view showing a side plate of a battery pack included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Fig.11 It is shown that Fig.10 A view of a state in which a battery pack of a side plate is mounted on a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Fig.12 is a view showing a side plate of a battery pack included in an energy storage system according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Since the drawings in this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are used together with the detailed description of the present disclosure described later to further understand the technical aspects of the present disclosure, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the contents shown in these drawings. The same reference numerals represent the same components. In addition, in the drawings, the thickness, ratio, and size of the components may be exaggerated in order to effectively describe the technical content.

[0054] The terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to general and dictionary meanings, but rather be construed based on meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of a principle allowing the inventor to appropriately define the terms for best interpretation.

[0055] The terms indicating directions used herein, such as up, down, left, right, front, and back, are used only for convenience of description, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms may vary depending on the position of a reference object or an observer.

[0056] Therefore, the embodiment described in this specification and the construction shown in the drawings are merely one of the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to fully represent the technical aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications may be made thereto when the present application is filed.

[0057] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a view showing a battery pack included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] refer to Figures 1 to 3 , an energy storage system 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of battery packs 100 and a battery rack 200 .

[0059] The battery pack 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110 and a pair of side plates 120 covering the plurality of battery cells 110 on both side surfaces.

[0060] Each of the plurality of battery cells 110 may refer to a secondary battery. A secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. In particular, the battery cell may be a pouch-type secondary battery. However, other forms of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries or prismatic batteries, may also be used in the battery cells of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to a specific type or form of such secondary batteries, and various forms of secondary batteries known at the time of filing may be used in the battery cells of the present disclosure.

[0061] The pair of side plates 120 may cover the plurality of battery cells 110 on both side surfaces. The side plates 120 may have a plate shape covering the side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 110 along a longitudinal direction (X-axis extension direction) of the plurality of battery cells 110 .

[0062] In addition, the pair of side plates 120 may have a guide rail R on the outer surface, which includes an upper member 121 and a lower member 122, wherein the upper member 121 extends from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction (X-axis extension direction) of the battery pack 100, and the lower member 122 is parallel to the upper member 121.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown in detail in FIG. 1 , in addition to the side plates 120 covering the side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 110, the battery pack 100 may further include a front plate 130 covering the front surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 110, a rear plate 140 covering the rear surface, and a bottom plate 150 covering the bottom surface. The side plates 120, the front plate 130, the rear plate 140, and the bottom plate 150 serve as a casing of the battery pack 100 and may be integrally formed. The top surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 110 may remain uncovered to allow heat to be radiated to the outside of the battery pack 100 when heat is generated in the battery cells 110, and to make the battery pack 100 lightweight.

[0064] The side panels 120, the front panel 130, the rear panel 140 and the bottom panel 150 may be configured to be at least partially integrally formed with each other. The side panels 120, the front panel 130, the rear panel 140 and the bottom panel 150 may be manufactured separately and then coupled to each other by welding, bolting or the like.

[0065] The side panels 120 may be made of metal such as steel or aluminum to ensure rigidity, and the front panel 130 , the rear panel 140 , and the bottom panel 150 may be made of a plastic injection molding material to reduce weight. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these materials.

[0066] It should be noted that the present disclosure is characterized in that a structure for mounting the battery rack 200 is integrated into the side plate 120 forming the enclosure of the battery pack 100 , and includes a guide rail R as a specific embodiment of the structure for mounting.

[0067] The battery rack 200 may include a rack frame 210 facing the side plate 120 to stack and accommodate a plurality of battery packs 100 in a vertical direction (Z-axis extension direction). The battery rack 200 may stack and accommodate the plurality of battery packs 100 in two or more rows as well as in one row. The battery rack 200 may stack and accommodate the battery packs 100 in a desired arrangement of two or more rows by attaching a unit structure that stacks and accommodates the battery packs 100 vertically and / or horizontally in one row. Therefore, the expansion possibility of the energy storage system 10 may be increased.

[0068] The rack frame 210 includes a pin 211 that protrudes in a direction toward the side plate 120 and is configured to be located between the upper member 121 and the lower member 122 so that the pin 211 can be inserted between the rails R to accommodate the plurality of battery packs 100. In the illustrated example, the pin 211 of the rack frame 210 located on the left side of the battery pack 100 protrudes in the negative Y-axis direction, and the pin 211 of the rack frame 210 located on the right side of the battery pack 100 protrudes in the positive Y-axis direction. The rack frame 210 stands upright in a vertical direction (Z-axis extension direction) and may have at least two pins 211 in a longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100 and at least two pins 211 in a width direction of the battery pack 100. These four pins 211 are respectively inserted into both ends of the rails R of the pair of side plates 120 so that the battery pack 100 can be accommodated in the rack frame 210. The battery pack 100 can be accommodated by allowing the upper portion of the pin 211 and the upper member 121 to contact each other and bear gravity due to their weight. The lower member 122 together with the upper member 121 can prevent the battery pack 100 from shaking in the vertical direction (Z-axis extension direction) due to vibration or the like.

[0069] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, there is no need to redundantly ensure the rigidity of the battery pack 100 itself and the rigidity of the L-shaped bracket of the battery rack 200 for stacking and accommodating the battery pack 100, as in the conventional energy storage system. The battery pack 100 can be accommodated in a simple structure by the pins 211 of the rack frame 210 and the rails R of the battery pack 100, thereby reducing the weight and cost of the energy storage system 10.

[0070] The rack frame 210 included in the energy storage system 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that it does not require a separate structure such as a conventional L-shaped bracket, but is provided with the pins 211 as described above to mount the battery pack 100, but can be constructed in various ways, which will be referred to below. Figures 4 to 6 Detailed description.

[0071] Figure 4 is a view showing a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] refer to Figure 4 , the rack frame 210 may include at least two main frames 212 along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100 and at least two main frames 212 along the width direction of the battery pack 100. Therefore, the four main frames 212 may be respectively located at both ends of the two side surfaces of the battery pack 100. As shown in the figure, additional members may also be provided at the upper and lower ends of the main frames 212 so that the four main frames 212 may be fixed in an upright state.

[0073] The rack frame 210 may further include at least two first additional frames 213 located between the main frames 212 along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100. That is, by further including at least one first additional frame 213 located between the two main frames 212 on the left side of the battery pack 100 and at least one first additional frame 213 located between the two main frames 212 on the right side of the battery pack 100, at least two first additional frames 213 may be further included. The first additional frame 213 may be located approximately in the middle of the two main frames 212 located along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100. The first additional frame 213 may include a pin 211 similar to the main frame 212.

[0074] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the battery pack 100 is accommodated by at least four main frames 212 and at least two first additional frames 213. Therefore, the battery pack 100 can be accommodated more stably than when accommodated by only four main frames 212. In addition, the battery rack can be constructed in various ways by adjusting the number of first additional frames 213 according to the weight of the battery pack 100 to be accommodated. Since the main frame 212 and the first additional frame 213 are not in the form of a surface of a closed space, but in the form of a column, they can help cool the heat generated from the battery pack 100 in an air circulation manner.

[0075] Figure 5 is a view showing a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] refer to Figure 5 , the rack frame 210 may further include at least two second additional frames 214 located between the main frames 212 along the width direction (Y-axis extension direction) of the battery pack 100. That is, by further including at least one second additional frame 214 located between the two main frames 212 at the rear of the battery pack 100 and at least one second additional frame 214 located between the two main frames 212 at the front of the battery pack 100, at least two second additional frames 214 may be further included. The second additional frame 214 may be located approximately in the middle of the two main frames 212 located along the width direction of the battery pack 100. The second additional frame 214 may also include a pin 211, just like the first additional frame 213 or the main frame 212.

[0077] According to the configuration of the present disclosure, the battery rack 200 can accommodate the battery pack 100 by arranging and stacking the battery pack 100 in two or more levels instead of one level. The battery rack 200 can be configured in various ways by adjusting the number of second additional frames 214 according to the number of battery packs 100 to be accommodated and the accommodation environment, which increases the expansion possibility of the energy storage system 10.

[0078] Figure 6 is a view showing a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] refer to Figure 6 , the first additional frame 213 may be positioned closer to any one of the two main frames 212 positioned along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100. Hereinafter, a process and method for mounting the battery pack 100 on the battery rack 200 will be described. The mounting of the battery pack 100 begins by inserting the pins 211 provided in the two main frames 212 positioned side by side along the width direction of the battery pack 100 at the front thereof into the guide rails R of the pair of side plates 120, respectively. Once the pins 211 are respectively inserted into the guide rails R of the pair of side plates 120, the battery pack 100 is pushed backward, and the pins 211 provided in the first additional frame 213 positioned along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack 100 and having the same height as the pins 211 already inserted into the guide rails R are further inserted into the guide rails R to continue mounting. Then, the pins 211 provided in the remaining rear main frame 212 and having the same height as the pins 211 already inserted into the guide rails R are also inserted into the guide rails R to complete mounting. The first additional frame 213 may be positioned closer to the main frame 212 (a main frame located in the negative X-axis direction, ie, a main frame located at the front) where the installation starts among the main frames 212 .

[0080] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, even if the installation process of the battery pack 100 is not completed, the battery pack 100 is supported by the pins 211 as long as only two pins 211 are respectively inserted into the guide rails R of the pair of side plates 120. Therefore, there is no need to additionally support the battery pack 100 during the installation process, and the installation process of the battery pack 100 can be stable and fast.

[0081] In addition, the battery pack 100 included in the energy storage system 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that it is provided with the rails R to be mounted on the battery rack 200 as described above, but may be constructed in various ways, which will be referred to in Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is described in detail below.

[0082] Figure 7 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of the local area B. Figure 8 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of a local area A.

[0083] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8, the pair of side plates 120 may have a fixing portion 123 located at one end and configured to be captured on the rack frame 210. The fixing portion 123 may be a portion bent and extended from one end of the side plate 120 in a direction toward the rack frame 210 (positive Y-axis direction). The one end (the end located in the negative X-axis direction) may be opposite to the end (the end located in the positive X-axis direction) where the installation starts during the installation of the battery pack 100 described above. During the installation of the battery pack 100 in the longitudinal direction, the fixing portion 123 is captured on the rack frame 210, so that the installation can be completed. The fixing portion 123 may be coupled to the rack frame 210 by bolt connection. After the fixing portion 123 is captured on the rack frame 210 to complete the installation, the fixing portion 123 may be coupled to the rack frame 210 by bolts D.

[0084] The pair of side plates 120 may include: a first cover surface C1, which covers the side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 110; and a second cover surface C2, which is bent from the first cover surface C1 to cover at least a portion of the bottom surface of the plurality of battery cells 110. The first cover surface C1, the second cover surface C2, and the fixing portion 123 may be formed integrally. The first cover surface C1, the second cover surface C2, and the fixing portion 123 may be configured to be at least partially integrally formed with each other. The first cover surface C1, the second cover surface C2, and the fixing portion 123 may be manufactured separately and then connected to each other by welding, bolting, etc.

[0085] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, installation can be completed by confirming that the fixing portion 123 is captured on the rack frame 210, regardless of the degree to which the battery pack 100 is mounted on the battery rack 200, thereby facilitating the installation process. In addition, by bolting the fixing portion 123 and the rack frame 210 together, the battery pack 100 can be accommodated more stably.

[0086] refer to Figure 7 , the upper member 121 and the lower member 122 may be spaced apart from one end to the other end. The upper member 121 and the lower member 122 may be spaced apart from one end to the other end to maintain a predetermined interval therebetween. Figure 2 , the predetermined interval may correspond to the size of the pin 211 .

[0087] Fig. 9 is a view showing in detail a pin in a rack frame included in the energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] refer to Fig. 9, the pin 211 may include a first portion 211a and a second portion 211b. The first portion 211a and the second portion 211b may be formed integrally. The first portion 211a and the second portion 211b may be configured to be at least partially integrally formed with each other. The first portion 211a and the second portion 211b may be manufactured separately and then coupled to each other by welding, bolting, etc.

[0089] The first portion 211a of the pin 211 may have a first length a1 in a direction protruding toward the side plate 120 (negative Y-axis direction), and a first height a2 in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction (a surface parallel to the XZ plane). The first portion 211a may be a cylinder whose base is a circle having the first height a2 as its diameter and whose height is the first length a1.

[0090] The second portion 211b of the pin 211 may be connected to the first portion 211a in the protruding direction (negative Y-axis direction), and may have a second length b1 in the protruding direction, and a second height b2 greater than the first height a2 in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction (a surface parallel to the XZ plane). The second portion 211b may be a cylinder whose base is a circle having the second height b2 as its diameter, and whose height is the second length b1.

[0091] Fig.10 is a view showing a side plate of a battery pack included in the energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.11 It is shown that Fig.10 A view of a state in which a battery pack of a side plate is mounted on a rack frame included in an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] refer to Fig.10 and Fig.11 , each of the upper member 121 and the lower member 122 may have a connecting portion 121a, 122a, a pin receiving portion 121b, 122b, and a pin capturing portion 121c, 122c. The connecting portion 121a, 122a, the pin receiving portion 121b, 122b, and the pin capturing portion 121c, 122c may be integrally formed. The connecting portion 121a, 122a, the pin receiving portion 121b, 122b, and the pin capturing portion 121c, 122c may be configured to be at least partially integrally formed with each other. The connecting portion 121a, 122a, the pin receiving portion 121b, 122b, and the pin capturing portion 121c, 122c may be manufactured separately and then coupled to each other by welding, bolting, etc.

[0093] The connection parts 121a, 122a may be connected to the side plate 120. The connection parts 121a, 122a are portions connected to the side plate 120, have a substantially plate shape, and may be connected to the side plate 120 by welding, bolting, or the like.

[0094] The pin receiving portions 121b, 122b may be configured to protrude outward (in the positive Y-axis direction) from the connecting portions 121a, 122a to form a space for receiving the second portion 211b of the pin 211. The pin receiving portions 121b, 122b may extend from the connecting portions 121a, 122a and be formed to be bent at about 45 degrees. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a shape of the pin receiving portions 121b, 122b, and may be configured to be bent at about 90 degrees to form a space for receiving the second portion 211b of the pin 211.

[0095] The pin catching portions 121c, 122c may be configured to prevent the second portion 211b of the pin 211 from falling out of the space formed by the pin receiving portions 121b, 122b. The pin catching portions 121c, 122c may be configured to extend from the pin receiving portions 121b, 122b to prevent the pin 211 from moving and falling out in the width direction of the battery pack 100 (in the example shown, in the positive Y-axis direction).

[0096] In the case where the first portion 211a of the pin 211 is a cylinder (whose base is a circle with a first height a2 as its diameter and whose height is a first length a1), and the second portion 211b of the pin 211 is a cylinder (whose base is a circle with a second height b2 as its diameter and whose height is a second length b1), the remaining area of ​​the left cylindrical surface of the second portion 211b of the pin 211 other than the right cylindrical surface of the first portion 211a can be captured by the pin catching portions 121c, 122c to prevent falling out in the Y-axis direction. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the shapes of the first portion 211a, the second portion 211b, and the pin catching portions 121c, 122c of the pin 211 in this manner, and the above-mentioned shapes are only used to describe an embodiment configured to prevent the pin 211 from falling out by the pin catching portions 121c, 122c.

[0097] The pin catching portion 121c of the upper member 121 and the pin catching portion 122c of the lower member 122 may face each other. They may be located on the same line so as to face each other in the Z-axis direction.

[0098] The first portion 211a of the pin 211 may have a first height a2 that is less than a distance l between an end of the pin catching portion 121c of the upper member 121 and an end of the pin catching portion 122c of the lower member 122. Figure 4, the battery pack 100 moves from front to rear along the X-axis direction so that the first portion 211a can be inserted between the end of the pin capture portion 121c of the upper member 121 and the end of the pin capture portion 122c of the lower member 122 to start the installation process.

[0099] The second portion 211b of the pin 211 may have a second height b2 that is greater than a distance l between an end of the pin capture portion 121c of the upper member 121 and an end of the pin capture portion 122c of the lower member 122. When the second portion 211b of the pin 211 moves in the width direction of the battery pack 100 (in the positive Y-axis direction in the illustrated example), it may be captured in the pin capture portions 121c, 122c.

[0100] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the first portion 211a of the pin 211 is stably inserted between the end of the pin catching portion 121c of the upper member 121 and the end of the pin catching portion 122c of the lower member 122, and the second portion 211b of the pin 211 is received in the pin receiving portions 121b, 122b, so that the pin 211 may not fall out of the guide rail R in the width direction of the battery pack 100. Therefore, this allows the battery pack 100 to be stably accommodated.

[0101] Fig.12 is a view showing a side plate of a battery pack included in an energy storage system according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0102] refer to Fig.12 , the side plate 120 may include a first cover surface C1 and a second cover surface C2, wherein the first cover surface C1 covers the side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells, and the second cover surface C2 is bent from the first cover surface C1 to cover at least a portion of the bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells. The side plate 120 may be bent multiple times between the first cover surface C1 and the second cover surface C2. For example, it may be formed by bending five times at an angle of approximately 90 degrees. The structure formed by multiple bendings may include a recessed portion I recessed in the negative Y-axis direction and a protrusion O protruding in the positive Y-axis direction. The outermost surface of the protrusion O in the Y-axis direction may be located on the same surface (a surface parallel to the XZ plane) as the outermost surface of the guide rail R in the Y-axis direction.

[0103] According to this structure of the present disclosure, other structures required for constructing the battery pack 100 can be provided in the empty space of the recessed portion I. For example, a cooling passage or a battery management system (BMS) can be provided. The outermost surface of the protrusion O is located on the same surface as the outermost surface of the guide rail R, which can guide the battery pack 100 so that the battery pack 100 does not move in its width direction (in the example shown, in the Y-axis direction) during the installation process of the battery pack 100.

[0104] Although not directly shown in the drawings, reference Fig.12 as well as Figure 7 and Figure 8 , in which other embodiments are shown, the fixing portion 123 may extend from the first cover surface C1 and may be bent vertically toward the rack frame 210 (in the positive Y-axis direction). The first cover surface C1, the second cover surface C2, and the fixing portion 123 may be formed integrally. The first cover surface C1, the second cover surface C2, and the fixing portion 123 may be configured to be at least partially integrally formed with each other. The first cover surface C1, the second cover surface C2, and the fixing portion 123 may be manufactured separately and then connected to each other by welding, bolting, etc.

[0105] The present disclosure has been described above mainly using preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it is obvious to those skilled in the art that many and various obvious modifications can be made from this description without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the claims, which are written to include examples of such many modifications.

[0106] Reference numerals list

[0107] 10: Energy Storage System

[0108] 100: Battery Pack

[0109] 110: Battery Cell

[0110] 120: Side panels

[0111] 121: Upper member

[0112] 121a: Upper member connection part

[0113] 121b: Upper member pin receiving portion

[0114] 121c: Upper member pin capture portion

[0115] 122: Lower member

[0116] 122a: Lower member connection part

[0117] 122b: Lower member pin receiving portion

[0118] 122c: Lower member pin capture portion

[0119] 123: Fixed part

[0120] 130: Front panel

[0121] 140: Rear plate

[0122] 150: Base plate

[0123] 210: Rack frame

[0124] 200: Battery rack

[0125] 211: Pin

[0126] 211a: Part I

[0127] a1: first length

[0128] a2: first height

[0129] 211b: Part 2

[0130] b1: second length

[0131] b2: second height

[0132] 212: Main frame

[0133] 213: First additional frame

[0134] 214: Second additional frame

[0135] R: Rail

[0136] D: Bolt

[0137] C1: First cover surface

[0138] C2: Second cover surface

[0139] l: distance

[0140] I: Recessed part

[0141] O: protrusion

Claims

1. An energy storage system comprising a plurality of battery packs including a plurality of battery cells and a pair of side plates covering the plurality of battery cells on both side surfaces; as well as a battery rack, the battery rack comprising a rack frame, the rack frame facing the side plate so as to be able to stack and accommodate the plurality of battery packs in a vertical direction, in, The pair of side plates have guide rails on outer surfaces, the guide rails comprising: an upper member extending from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the battery pack; and a lower member, the lower member being parallel to the upper member, and The rack frame has a pin that protrudes in a direction toward the side plate and is configured to be located between the upper member and the lower member such that the pin is inserted between the rails to accommodate the plurality of battery packs.

2. The energy storage system according to claim 1, in, The plurality of battery packs further include a front plate, a rear plate, and a bottom plate, the front plate covering the front surface of the plurality of battery cells, the rear plate covering the rear surface, and the bottom plate covering the bottom surface.

3. The energy storage system according to claim 1, in, The rack frame stands upright along the vertical direction, and has at least two pins along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack, and has at least two pins along the width direction of the battery pack.

4. The energy storage system according to claim 3, in, The rack frame includes at least two main frames along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack and at least two main frames along the width direction of the battery pack.

5. The energy storage system according to claim 4, in, The rack frame further includes at least one first additional frame located between the main frames along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack, and The first additional frame has the pin.

6. The energy storage system according to claim 4, in, The rack frame further includes at least one second additional frame located between the main frames along the width direction of the battery pack, and The second additional frame has the pin.

7. The energy storage system according to claim 5, in, The first additional frame is positioned closer to any one of the two main frames positioned along the longitudinal direction of the battery pack.

8. The energy storage system according to claim 1, in, The pair of side plates has a fixing portion at one end, and the fixing portion is configured to be captured on the rack frame.

9. The energy storage system according to claim 8, in, The fixing portion is coupled to the rack frame by bolt connection.

10. The energy storage system according to claim 8, in, The upper member and the lower member are spaced apart from the one end to the other end.

11. The energy storage system according to claim 1, in, The pin includes: a first portion, which has a first length in a protruding direction and a first height in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction; and a second portion, which is connected to the first portion in the protruding direction and has a second length in the protruding direction and a second height in a cross section perpendicular to the protruding direction, and the second height is greater than the first height.

12. The energy storage system according to claim 11, in, Each of the upper member and the lower member has: a connecting portion connected to the side plate; a pin receiving portion protruding outward from the connecting portion and configured to form a space for receiving the second portion; and a pin catching portion configured to prevent the second portion from falling out of the space.

13. The energy storage system according to claim 12, in, The pin catching portion of the upper member and the pin catching portion of the lower member face each other.

14. The energy storage system according to claim 12, in, The first portion has the first height that is less than a distance between an end of the pin capture portion of the upper member and an end of the pin capture portion of the lower member.

15. The energy storage system according to claim 12, in, The second portion has the second height that is greater than a distance between an end of the pin capture portion of the upper member and an end of the pin capture portion of the lower member.

16. The energy storage system according to claim 8, in, The side plate includes a first cover surface covering side surfaces of the plurality of battery cells and a second cover surface bent from the first cover surface to cover at least a portion of bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells.

17. The energy storage system according to claim 16, in, The side plate is bent multiple times between the first cover surface and the second cover surface.

18. The energy storage system according to claim 16, in, The fixing portion extends from the first cover surface and is vertically bent toward the rack frame.

19. The energy storage system according to claim 18, in, The first cover surface, the second cover surface, and the fixing portion are integrally formed.

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