Battery pack fire extinguishing system and method for filling battery pack fire extinguishing system with fire extinguishing agent

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery pack fire extinguishing system and a method for filling a battery pack fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent. The battery pack fire extinguishing system comprises: one or more battery cells; and the fire extinguishing pipe is positioned above the one or more battery cells and accommodates a first fire extinguishing agent under atmospheric pressure. A fire extinguishing agent supply unit is connected to the fire extinguishing tube to supply a second fire extinguishing agent to the fire extinguishing tube at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0095243 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on July 21, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to battery fire extinguishing systems and methods of filling fire extinguishing systems with a fire extinguishing agent. Background Art

[0004] A direct injection fire extinguishing system is applied to an energy storage system (e.g., a battery pack) to prevent heat propagation in the event of a fire. The direct injection fire extinguishing system contributes to improved fire safety of the battery pack. As the capacity of the battery cells increases, the size and explosive force of the flame may increase. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the direct injection performance of the fire extinguishing agent of the direct injection fire extinguishing system of the battery pack.

[0005] If the direct injection fire extinguishing system is operated when a fire is detected after thermal runaway of a battery cell occurs, it may take a predetermined amount of time (e.g., about 10 seconds to about 20 seconds) for the fire extinguishing agent to pass through the fire extinguishing pipe to the fire, which makes it difficult to extinguish the fire at an early stage. This delay may cause damage to the fire extinguishing pipe by the intense flame, thereby causing thermal runaway of the battery cell (e.g., uncontrollable increase in temperature).

[0006] The information disclosed in this section is provided only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not constitute relevant art. Summary of the invention

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery fire extinguishing system and a method of filling the battery fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent, the battery fire extinguishing system being configured to shorten a direct injection operation time.

[0008] An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a battery pack fire extinguishing system, which includes: one or more battery cells; a fire extinguishing pipe located above the one or more battery cells and containing a first fire extinguishing agent at atmospheric pressure; and a fire extinguishing agent supply unit connected to the fire extinguishing pipe to supply a second fire extinguishing agent to the fire extinguishing pipe at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, at least one of the first fire extinguishing agent and the second fire extinguishing agent may include sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium phosphate, or aluminum sulfate.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, the fire extinguishing pipe may include: a first fire extinguishing pipe located above the one or more battery cells; and a second fire extinguishing pipe connecting the first fire extinguishing pipe to the fire extinguishing agent supply unit.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, the first fire extinguishing pipe may include: one or more injection holes corresponding to one or more exhaust holes in the one or more battery cells; and a film on the injection holes. The melting point of the film may be lower than the melting point of the first fire extinguishing pipe.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the membrane may be configured to melt in response to outgassing from the battery cell.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the battery pack fire extinguishing system may further include: an intake air sensor configured to detect exhaust gas from the battery cell; and a controller configured to drive a cylinder trigger of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit based on receiving an intake air signal from the intake air sensor.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, based on detecting the operation of the cylinder trigger, the first fire extinguishing agent installed in the fire extinguishing pipe is configured to be sprayed to the battery cell at a first time point, and the second fire extinguishing agent installed in the fire extinguishing agent supply unit is configured to be sprayed to the battery cell through the fire extinguishing pipe at a second time point later than the first time point.

[0015] In one embodiment, a method for filling a battery pack fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent may include: providing a fire extinguishing pipe, which is located above one or more battery cells and connected to a fire extinguishing agent supply unit; connecting a vacuum pump and a fire extinguishing agent tank to the fire extinguishing pipe via one or more connecting pipes; driving the vacuum pump to evacuate the fire extinguishing pipe; and driving the fire extinguishing agent tank to supply the fire extinguishing agent to the fire extinguishing pipe.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent may be injected into the fire extinguishing pipe until the interior of the fire extinguishing pipe is in an atmospheric pressure state.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the one or more connecting pipes may include: a first connecting pipe connected to the fire extinguishing pipe; a second connecting pipe connecting the vacuum pump to the first connecting pipe; a third connecting pipe connecting the fire extinguishing agent tank to the first connecting pipe; and a first valve placed at the intersection of the first connecting pipe, the second connecting pipe, and the third connecting pipe. The operation of the vacuum pump connects the first connecting pipe and the second connecting pipe to each other via the operation of the first valve, and disconnects the first connecting pipe and the third connecting pipe from each other. The operation of the fire extinguishing agent tank connects the first connecting pipe and the third connecting pipe to each other via the operation of the first valve, and disconnects the first connecting pipe and the second connecting pipe from each other.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the one or more connecting pipes may further include a second valve, which is placed at the intersection of the fire extinguishing pipe and the first connecting pipe. The operation of the vacuum pump or the fire extinguishing agent tank connects the fire extinguishing pipe and the first connecting pipe to each other via the operation of the second valve, and stopping the operation of the vacuum pump and the fire extinguishing agent tank disconnects the fire extinguishing pipe and the first connecting pipe from each other via the operation of the second valve. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The accompanying drawings included in this specification illustrate preferred embodiments and are used to further illustrate the technical concept of the present disclosure together with the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments that follows, and the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to what is shown in these drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 (A) is a side view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 1 (B) is based on Figure 1 (A) is a plan view of a battery cell of an embodiment;

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 is based on Figure 2 A schematic side view of a battery module of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a configuration of a battery pack fire extinguishing system configured to shorten a direct injection operation time according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5A and Figure 5B According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4A schematic diagram of a battery cell in a battery pack fire extinguishing system configured to shorten the direct injection operation time with respect to a fire extinguishing pipe;

[0026] Figure 6 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4 A block diagram of a configuration of a battery pack fire extinguishing system configured to shorten a direct injection operation time;

[0027] Figure 7 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the operation of a battery fire extinguishing system configured to shorten the direct injection operation time;

[0028] Figure 8 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a fire extinguishing agent is filled Figure 4 A flow chart of a method for configuring a battery pack fire extinguishing system to shorten the direct injection operation time; and

[0029] Fig. 9 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 8 Filled with fire extinguishing agent Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a method for configuring a battery pack fire extinguishing system to shorten the direct injection operation time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to more fully illustrate the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. The following embodiments may be modified in various other forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, embodiments of the present disclosure are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0031] In the drawings, for the clarity of illustration, the sizes of various elements, layers, etc. may be exaggerated. The same reference symbols or numbers in the accompanying drawings represent the same elements. As used in this article, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. As used in this article, the term "connection" refers not only to the direct connection between component A and component B, but also to the indirect connection of component C between component A and component B. Therefore, it will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as "on" another element or layer, "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, the element or layer can be directly on another element or layer, connected or coupled to another element or layer, or one or more intermediate elements or layers can also be present. When an element or layer is referred to as "directly on" another element or layer, "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there is no intermediate element or layer. For example, when a first element is described as "coupled" or "connected" to a second element, the first element can be directly coupled or connected to the second element, or the first element can be indirectly coupled or connected to the second element via one or more intermediate elements.

[0032] The terms used in the specification are intended to describe embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used in this article, the singular form "one" is intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used in this article, the term "comprising" (or "including") is intended to specify the existence of stated numerals, integers, quantities, steps, operations, components, elements, parts and / or its groups, and does not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, integers, numbers, quantities, steps, operations, components, elements and / or its groups.

[0033] Although terms such as "first", "second", etc. are used herein to describe various elements, components, members, parts, regions, layers, sections and / or parts, elements, components, members, parts, regions, layers, sections and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, member, part, region, layer, section or part from another element, component, member, part, region, layer, section or part. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure, the first element, component, member, part, region, layer, section or part described below may be referred to as a second element, component, member, part, region, layer, section or part.

[0034] Spatially relative terms such as "under...", "below...", "below...", "above...", and "on..." may be used to facilitate understanding of the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as shown in the accompanying drawings. Spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device other than the orientation depicted in the figures, and are intended to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure in various processes or use states, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. For example, if the elements or features in the figures are reversed, the elements or features described as "under" or "below" other elements or features will then be oriented "above", "above", or "on" other elements or features. Therefore, the terms "under..." or "below..." are concepts that include both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0035] In addition, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.” Expressions such as “at least one of” and “any of” when following a list of elements modify the entire list of elements, rather than the individual elements in the list. When phrases such as “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “at least one selected from the group of A, B, and C,” or “at least one selected from among A, B, and C” are used to refer to a list of elements A, B, and C, the phrase may refer to any and all suitable combinations or subsets of A, B, and C, such as A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B, and C.

[0036] As used herein, the term “use” may be considered synonymous with the term “utilize.” As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “approximately,” and similar terms are used as terms of approximation, not as terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent variation in measurements or calculations that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize.

[0037] In addition, the control unit (e.g., controller) and / or other related devices or parts according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., dedicated semiconductor), software, or a suitable combination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, various components and / or other related devices or parts of the control unit (e.g., controller) according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be formed on an integrated circuit chip or a separate integrated circuit chip. In addition, various components of the control unit (e.g., controller) may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit film, or may be formed on a tape carrier package, a printed circuit board, or on the same substrate as the control unit (e.g., controller). In addition, various components of the control unit (e.g., controller) may be implemented as processes or threads running on one or more processors in one or more computing devices, and may execute computer program instructions and may interact with other components to perform various functions described below. Computer program instructions are stored in a memory, which may be implemented in a computing device using a standard memory device (e.g., random access memory, read-only memory, or any other volatile or non-volatile memory device as an example). The computer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transitory computer readable media (such as, for example, a CD-ROM, a flash drive, and / or a solid state drive (SSD), and / or the like). In addition, those skilled in the art will recognize that, without departing from the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments, the functions of various computing devices may be combined with one another or integrated into a single computing device, or the functions of a particular computing device may be distributed across one or more other computing devices.

[0038] Figure 1 (A) is a side view of a battery cell 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 1 (B) is based on Figure 1 (A) is a plan view of a battery cell 10 of an embodiment. Figure 1 , the battery cell 10 according to some embodiments may include a housing 11 configured to accommodate an electrode assembly. An electrolyte (liquid electrolyte, gel electrolyte, or solid electrolyte) may be accommodated in the housing 11. The battery cell 10 according to some embodiments may include a cap assembly 14 configured to seal an opening of the housing 11. The battery cell 10 according to some embodiments is a lithium ion secondary battery formed in a prismatic shape, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0039] The electrode assembly may be implemented as a core-type electrode assembly formed by winding a positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator therebetween, or as a stacked electrode assembly formed by stacking a positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator therebetween. Each of the positive electrode and the negative electrode may include a coated region of a current collector formed as a thin metal foil and an uncoated region of the current collector, and the active material may be coated on the coated region, and the active material is not coated on the uncoated region. As a non-limiting example, the coated region of the positive electrode may be formed by coating an active material (such as a transition metal oxide) on a substrate formed as a metal foil (such as an aluminum foil). The coated region of the negative electrode may be formed by coating an active material (such as carbon or graphite) on a substrate formed as a metal foil (such as a copper foil or a nickel foil).

[0040] The uncoated region of the positive electrode may be formed on one end of the positive electrode in the longitudinal direction of the positive electrode, and the uncoated region of the negative electrode may be formed on one end of the negative electrode in the longitudinal direction of the negative electrode. The uncoated region of the positive electrode and the uncoated region of the negative electrode may be located on opposite sides of each other relative to the coated region. The separator may include a plurality of separators. After alternate placement, the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator may be wound or stacked.

[0041] The electrode assembly may be housed in the housing 11 together with the electrolyte. The electrolyte may contain an organic solvent such as ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), or dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and a lithium salt such as LiPF6 or LiBF4. The housing 11 may be formed to have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and may include an opening formed in one surface thereof. The housing 11 may be formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel.

[0042] The housing 11 may include a bottom surface having a generally rectangular shape, and may include a pair of first side walls 12 and 13 (as wide side surfaces) vertically connected to the end of the bottom surface (e.g., extending from the end of the bottom surface) and a pair of second side walls to provide a space for accommodating an electrode assembly. The first side walls 12 and 13 may be positioned to face each other, and the second side wall may be positioned to face each other and may be connected to the first side walls 12 and 13 (e.g., extending from the first side walls 12 and 13). The length of each of the edges where the bottom surface and the first side walls 12 and 13 are connected to each other may be greater than the length of each of the edges where the bottom surface and the second side wall are connected to each other. In some embodiments, an arc area is formed between the first side wall and the second side wall adjacent to each other.

[0043] The cap assembly 14 may include a cap plate 15 coupled to the housing 11 to cover the opening of the housing 11, and may include a positive electrode terminal (first terminal) 16 and a negative electrode terminal (second terminal) 17 protruding outward from the cap plate 15 and electrically connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, respectively. The cap plate 15 may be formed in the shape of a plate extending in one direction and may be coupled to the opening of the housing 11. The cap plate 15 may include an exhaust hole 18 (e.g., an exhaust opening) communicating with the interior of the cap assembly 14. A vent including a recess that may be opened due to pressure (e.g., a predetermined pressure) may be mounted to or placed at or in the exhaust hole 18.

[0044] The positive electrode terminal 16 and the negative electrode terminal 17 may be installed or placed to protrude upward from the cap plate 15. The positive electrode terminal 16 may be electrically connected to the positive electrode via a current collecting tab, and the negative electrode terminal 17 may be electrically connected to the negative electrode via a current collecting tab. A terminal connector configured to electrically connect the positive electrode terminal 16 to the current collecting tab may be installed or placed between the positive electrode terminal 16 and the current collecting tab. The terminal connector may be inserted into a hole formed in the positive electrode terminal 16 and may be welded to the current collecting tab at its lower portion.

[0045] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a battery module 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3 is based on Figure 2 Schematic side view of a battery module 20 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the battery module 20 may include a plurality of battery cells 10 arranged and aligned along a first direction (e.g., Y direction). Each battery cell 10 may be a prismatic (or rectangular) battery cell 10, and the first side walls 12 and 13 of the battery cells 10 may be stacked together to form a battery module 20. For example, the prismatic battery cells 10 may be arranged so that the first side walls 12 and 13 of adjacent battery cells 10 face each other and / or are in close contact with each other. A separator (not shown) made of an organic / inorganic material to minimize or prevent heat propagation may be located between the first side walls 12 and 13 of adjacent battery cells 10. The positive electrode terminals 16 and negative electrode terminals 17 of adjacent battery cells 10 may be electrically connected to each other via bus bars (not shown). A plurality of battery cells 10 may be electrically connected to each other in bundles, whereby the battery module 20 may be used as a power source. A plurality of battery modules 20 may be electrically connected to each other to form a battery pack, and the battery pack may be used as a power source. In some embodiments, a plurality of battery modules 20 or a plurality of battery packs may be referred to as energy storage devices.

[0047] In some embodiments, each battery cell 10 includes a vent hole 18 in the cap assembly 14 at a distance from the positive electrode terminal 16 and the negative electrode terminal 17. The vent holes 18 in the plurality of battery cells 10 arranged in the first direction may also be arranged in the first direction. The plurality of battery cells 10 may be located on a carrier plate 33 formed to support the weight of the plurality of battery cells 10 and to cool the plurality of battery cells 10. In some embodiments, the carrier plate 33 may include a cooler (e.g., a cooling mechanism), or may be referred to as a cooler.

[0048] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a configuration of a battery fire extinguishing system 30 configured to shorten a direct injection operation time according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown in , the battery pack fire extinguishing system 30 may include a battery cell 10 , a fire extinguishing pipe 31 , and a fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 .

[0050] As described above, the battery cells 10 may be implemented in the form of a battery module 20. In some embodiments, the battery module 20 may be arranged in rows and columns, and thus may be provided in the form of a battery pack. In other embodiments, the battery module 20 may be fixed to a rack while being arranged in rows and columns, and thus may be provided in the form of a battery rack.

[0051] One end of the fire extinguishing pipe 31 may be located above the battery module, battery pack or battery rack, and the other end thereof may be connected to the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 (e.g., extending from the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32). The fire extinguishing pipe 31 may be in the form of a circular tube or a rectangular tube. The fire extinguishing pipe 31 may be located above the battery module 20 and may extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the battery module 20. In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing pipe 31 may be made of aluminum, copper, stainless steel or resin.

[0052] The fire extinguishing pipe 31 may include a first fire extinguishing pipe 311 located above the battery module 20 and a second fire extinguishing pipe 312 connecting the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 to the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32. In some embodiments, a plurality of first fire extinguishing pipes 311 may be provided to branch from one second fire extinguishing pipe 312. In some embodiments, the longitudinal direction of the second fire extinguishing pipe 312 may be similar to or the same as the direction in which the exhaust holes 18 are arranged in the battery cell 10 (e.g., the Y direction).

[0053] The fire extinguishing pipe 31 may contain (e.g., be filled with) the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at atmospheric pressure. For example, the first fire extinguishing agent 313 may be pre-installed in the fire extinguishing pipe 31 at atmospheric pressure (e.g., without pressurization). In some embodiments, both the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 and the second fire extinguishing pipe 312 may contain (e.g., be filled with) the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at atmospheric pressure. Here, "pressurization" may refer to applying a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0054] The fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 may be connected to (e.g., extended from) the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (e.g., the second fire extinguishing pipe 312) to supply the second fire extinguishing agent to the fire extinguishing pipe 31 at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 may include a pressure storage type fire extinguisher or a gas pressurized type fire extinguisher. In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 may include a cylinder trigger configured to pressurize the fire extinguishing agent or material stored therein and supply the fire extinguishing agent or material to the outside in response to an external electrical signal and / or mechanical signal.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first fire extinguishing agent or material and the second fire extinguishing agent or material may include a powder or a liquid. In some embodiments, the first fire extinguishing agent and the second fire extinguishing agent may include sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium phosphate, or aluminum sulfate as a component (e.g., a main component). In some embodiments, the first fire extinguishing agent and the second fire extinguishing agent may include different materials or the same material. In some embodiments, the first fire extinguishing agent may include a material that does not deteriorate in the fire extinguishing pipe 31 for a period of time (e.g., a long period of time of about 10 to 20 years), and the second fire extinguishing agent may include a material having fire extinguishing performance.

[0056] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of a battery cell 10 with respect to a fire extinguishing pipe 31 in a battery pack fire extinguishing system 30 configured to shorten a direct injection operation time according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Figure 5A is a view of the battery cell 10 in a state where the exhaust jet is discharged through the exhaust hole 18, Figure 5B is a view of a battery cell in which the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at atmospheric pressure contained in the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 is injected (eg, directly injected) to the exhaust hole 18 through a portion of the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 corresponding to an exhaust jet.

[0058] In accordance with Figure 5A and Figure 5B In the battery pack fire extinguishing system 30 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 may include a spray hole (eg, a spray opening) 311 a and a membrane 311 b .

[0059] The injection hole 311a may be formed in a region of the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 corresponding to the exhaust hole 18 in the battery cell 10. In some embodiments, the shape of the injection hole 311a may correspond to the shape of the exhaust hole 18. For example, if the shape of the exhaust hole 18 is circular, the shape of the injection hole 311a may also be circular, and if the shape of the exhaust hole 18 is elliptical, the shape of the injection hole 311a may also be elliptical. In some embodiments, the size of the injection hole 311a may be similar to or the same as the size of the exhaust hole 18.

[0060] The film 311b may be placed on the injection hole 311a (e.g., blocking the injection hole 311a). In some embodiments, the film 311b may be coated on or bonded to the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 to cover (e.g., block) the injection hole 311a, or may be formed as a plug coupled to the injection hole 311a.

[0061] In some embodiments, the melting point of the film 311b may be lower than the melting point of the first fire extinguishing pipe 311. In some embodiments, the film 311b may be melted by exhaust gas ejected from the battery cell 10. In some embodiments, the film 311b may include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) resin, acrylonitrile styrene copolymer (AS) resin, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).

[0062] In some embodiments, the melting temperature of the film 311b may be about 150°C. If the temperature of the exhaust exceeds 150°C, the film 311b may melt. If the film 311b melts, the injection hole 311a may be opened. Therefore, the first fire extinguishing agent 313 in the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 may be initially injected (e.g., injected for the first time at a first time point) to the exhaust hole 18 in the battery cell 10 through the injection hole 311a. The second fire extinguishing agent from the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 may be secondarily injected (e.g., injected for the second time at a second time point later than the first time point) to the exhaust hole 18 in the battery cell 10 through the injection hole 311a in the first fire extinguishing pipe 311. For example, the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at atmospheric pressure loaded (e.g., pre-loaded) in the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 may be initially injected (e.g., injected for the first time) by being pushed by the second fire extinguishing agent supplied from the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32, and then the second fire extinguishing agent may be secondarily injected (e.g., injected for the second time).

[0063] As described above, since the position of the injection hole 311a formed in the first fire extinguishing tube 311 corresponds to the position of the battery cell 10 (e.g., the position of the exhaust hole 18), the first fire extinguishing agent and the second fire extinguishing agent can be injected to the battery cell 10 where an event (e.g., fire) occurs through the injection hole 311a corresponding to the corresponding battery cell 10 (e.g., only through the injection hole 311a). Therefore, it may be possible to minimize or prevent thermal runaway from the battery cell where the event occurs to another battery cell adjacent thereto.

[0064] Since the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 contains (e.g., is filled with) the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at atmospheric pressure, the film 311b blocking the injection hole 311a formed in the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 may not be damaged for a period of time (e.g., a long period of time of about 10 to 20 years). If the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 contains (e.g., is filled with) the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure for a period of time (e.g., a long period of time), the film 311b may be damaged, causing the first fire extinguishing agent to accidentally leak to the outside.

[0065] Figure 6 is a block diagram of a configuration of a battery fire extinguishing system 30 configured to shorten a direct injection operation time according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] like Figure 6 As shown in , the battery pack fire extinguishing system 30 according to the embodiment may further include an intake sensor 333 and a controller 34. The intake sensor 333 may detect exhaust gas from the battery cell 10, may convert the detected result into an electrical signal, and may transmit the electrical signal to the controller 34. When receiving the intake signal from the intake sensor 333, the controller 34 may transmit a control signal to the cylinder trigger 321 of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 so as to operate the cylinder trigger 321.

[0067] As the cylinder trigger 321 operates, the second fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 can push the first fire extinguishing agent 313, so that the first fire extinguishing agent 313 at atmospheric pressure loaded (e.g., pre-loaded) in the fire extinguishing pipe 31 can be initially injected (e.g., injected for the first time) to the battery cell 10 that discharges exhaust gas without a significant delay time (or with a reduced or shortened delay time). Subsequently, the second fire extinguishing agent in a pressurized state loaded in the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 can be secondarily injected (e.g., injected for the second time) to the corresponding battery cell 10 through the fire extinguishing pipe 31.

[0068] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the operation of a battery fire extinguishing system 30 configured to shorten the direct injection operation time according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , if the exhaust hole 18 in the battery cell 10 where the event occurred is opened at (1), the gas may move from the exhaust hole 18 to the intake sensor 333 at (2), and the intake sensor 333 may transmit an electrical signal (e.g., a predetermined electrical signal) to the controller 34 at (3). Subsequently, as Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , the controller 34 may drive the cylinder trigger 321 at (4), the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 may operate at (5) to supply the second fire extinguishing agent to the second fire extinguishing pipe 312, and the first fire extinguishing agent 313 loaded (e.g., pre-loaded) in the first fire extinguishing pipe 311 may be initially injected (first injected) to the battery cell 10 where the event occurred at (6). After the first fire extinguishing agent 313 is injected (e.g., fully injected), the second fire extinguishing agent supplied from the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 may be injected (e.g., continuously injected) to the battery cell 10 where the event occurred.

[0070] In some embodiments, because the fire extinguishing agent is pre-loaded into the fire extinguishing tube 31 under atmospheric pressure, even when the battery module or battery pack is used for a period of time (e.g., a long period of time of about 10 to 20 years), the fire extinguishing agent can be preserved or contained (e.g., not leaked) by the fire extinguishing tube 31. However, if the fire extinguishing agent is loaded into the fire extinguishing tube 31 in a pressurized state (e.g., at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure), the fire extinguishing agent may leak, resulting in the inconvenience of frequently refilling the fire extinguishing tube 31 with the fire extinguishing agent.

[0071] According to some embodiments, if an event occurs in a certain battery cell 10, the fire extinguishing agent can be sprayed (e.g., directly sprayed) to the corresponding battery cell 10 without a significant delay time (or with a reduced or shortened delay time) to help prevent, reduce or minimize the thermal runaway phenomenon. However, if the fire extinguishing agent is not loaded (e.g., pre-loaded) in the fire extinguishing pipe 31, it may take about 10 to 20 seconds for the fire extinguishing agent to reach the corresponding battery cell 10 from the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32, and a thermal runaway phenomenon may occur in the battery pack.

[0072] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method of filling a battery fire extinguishing system 30 configured with a fire extinguishing agent to shorten a direct injection operation time according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] exist Figure 8 In an embodiment of the present invention, a method of filling a battery pack fire extinguishing system 30 with a fire extinguishing agent according to an embodiment may include providing a fire extinguishing pipe (S1), connecting a vacuum pump and a fire extinguishing agent tank to the fire extinguishing pipe (S2), driving the vacuum pump (S3), and driving the fire extinguishing agent tank (S4). The following description refers to Figure 8 and Fig. 9 conduct.

[0074] In providing the fire extinguishing pipe ( S1 ), the fire extinguishing pipe 31 may be installed or positioned above the battery cell 10 , and connected to (eg, extended from) the fire extinguishing agent supply unit 32 .

[0075] In connecting the vacuum pump and the fire extinguishing agent tank to the fire extinguishing pipe ( S2 ), the vacuum pump 35 and the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 may be connected to the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (eg, extended from the fire extinguishing pipe 31 ) via separate connecting pipes.

[0076] In driving the vacuum pump ( S3 ), the vacuum pump 35 may be driven so that the fire extinguishing pipe 31 is evacuated (eg, to remove air and / or particles from the fire extinguishing pipe 31 ).

[0077] In driving the fire extinguishing agent tank (S4), the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 may be driven so that the fire extinguishing agent is injected (e.g., naturally injected) into the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (e.g., the fire extinguishing pipe 31 in a vacuum state) (or provided to the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (e.g., the fire extinguishing pipe 31 in a vacuum state)). In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent may be injected into the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (or the fire extinguishing agent may be provided to the fire extinguishing pipe 31) until the fire extinguishing pipe 31 is in an atmospheric pressure state. The fire extinguishing pipe 31 may eventually be filled with the fire extinguishing agent at atmospheric pressure.

[0078] Fig. 9 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a method of filling a battery fire extinguishing system 30 with a fire extinguishing agent configuration to shorten a direct injection operation time.

[0079] exist Fig. 9 In an embodiment, the connecting pipe may include a first connecting pipe 371 connected to the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (or extending from the fire extinguishing pipe 31), a second connecting pipe 372 connecting the vacuum pump 35 to the first connecting pipe 371 (or extending from the vacuum pump 35 to the first connecting pipe 371), and a third connecting pipe 373 connecting the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 to the first connecting pipe 371 (or extending from the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 to the first connecting pipe 371). In some embodiments, the first valve 381 is installed or placed at a position where the first connecting pipe 371, the second connecting pipe 372, and the third connecting pipe 373 are connected or intersected with each other. In some embodiments, the first valve 381 may include or be referred to as a three-way valve or a reversing valve.

[0080] In some embodiments, the operation of the vacuum pump 35 connects the first connection pipe 371 and the second connection pipe 372 to each other through the operation of the first valve 381, and disconnects the first connection pipe 371 and the third connection pipe 373 from each other. Therefore, the interior of the fire extinguishing pipe 31 can be evacuated by the operation of the vacuum pump 35.

[0081] In some embodiments, the operation of the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 connects the first connecting pipe 371 and the third connecting pipe 373 to each other through the operation of the first valve 381, and disconnects the first connecting pipe 371 and the second connecting pipe 372 from each other. Therefore, the connection of the vacuum pump 35 to the fire extinguishing pipe 31 via the first connecting pipe 371 and the second connecting pipe 372 can be interrupted, and the fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 can be supplied (e.g., naturally supplied) to the fire extinguishing pipe 31 through the first connecting pipe 371 and the third connecting pipe 373. In this way, the fire extinguishing pipe 31 can accommodate (e.g., be filled with) the fire extinguishing agent supplied from the fire extinguishing agent tank 36. The filling operation can continue until the fire extinguishing pipe 31 (e.g., the inside of the fire extinguishing pipe) is in an atmospheric pressure state.

[0082] In some embodiments, the second valve 382 is installed or placed at a position where the fire extinguishing pipe 31 and the first connecting pipe 371 are connected or intersected with each other. In some embodiments, the operation of the vacuum pump 35 or the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 connects the fire extinguishing pipe 31 and the first connecting pipe 371 to each other through the operation of the second valve 382. In some embodiments, stopping the operation of the vacuum pump 35 and the fire extinguishing agent tank 36 disconnects the fire extinguishing pipe 31 and the first connecting pipe 371 from each other through the operation of the second valve 382. In some embodiments, the second valve 382 may include or be referred to as a three-way valve or a reversing valve.

[0083] Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a battery pack fire extinguishing system configured to shorten the direct injection operation time and a method for filling the battery pack fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent. For example, the fire extinguishing agent may be loaded (e.g., pre-loaded) in a fire extinguishing pipe at atmospheric pressure. This may allow the fire extinguishing agent to be stored or contained in the fire extinguishing pipe (e.g., without leaking from the fire extinguishing pipe) even when the battery pack is used for a period of time (e.g., a long period of time of about 10 to 20 years). For example, if an event (e.g., a fire) occurs in a battery cell, the fire extinguishing agent may be injected (e.g., directly injected) into the corresponding battery cell without a significant delay time (or with a reduced or shortened delay time) to minimize or prevent thermal runaway of the battery cell.

[0084] As is apparent from the above description, according to the battery pack fire extinguishing system configured to shorten the direct injection operation time and the method of filling the battery pack fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent according to the embodiment, since the fire extinguishing agent is pre-installed in the fire extinguishing pipe under atmospheric pressure, the fire extinguishing agent will not leak from the fire extinguishing pipe even when the battery pack is used for a long period of time (e.g., about 10 to 20 years). If an event occurs in a certain battery cell, the fire extinguishing agent can be directly injected into the corresponding battery cell without a significant delay time (or with a reduced or shortened delay time) to help reduce or prevent a thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery cell.

[0085] The above embodiments are only some embodiments for implementing a battery fire extinguishing system configured to shorten the direct injection operation time and a method for filling the battery fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery pack fire extinguishing system, comprising: One or more battery cells; a fire extinguishing pipe located above the one or more battery cells, the fire extinguishing pipe containing a first fire extinguishing agent at atmospheric pressure; as well as A fire extinguishing agent supply unit is connected to the fire extinguishing pipe, the fire extinguishing agent supply unit being configured to supply a second fire extinguishing agent to the fire extinguishing pipe at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. 2 . The battery fire extinguishing system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fire extinguishing agent and the second fire extinguishing agent comprises sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium phosphate or aluminum sulfate.

3. The battery pack fire extinguishing system according to claim 1, wherein the fire extinguishing pipe comprises: a first fire extinguishing pipe, located above the one or more battery cells; as well as A second fire extinguishing pipe connects the first fire extinguishing pipe to the fire extinguishing agent supply unit.

4. The battery pack fire extinguishing system according to claim 3, wherein the first fire extinguishing pipe comprises: one or more injection holes corresponding to one or more exhaust holes in the one or more battery cells; as well as membrane, over the injection hole, The melting point of the film is lower than the melting point of the first fire extinguishing tube. 5 . The battery pack fire extinguishing system of claim 4 , wherein the membrane is configured to melt in response to exhaust gas from the battery cell.

6. The battery pack fire extinguishing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: an intake air sensor configured to detect exhaust gas from the battery cell; as well as A controller is configured to drive a cylinder trigger of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit based on receiving an intake air signal from the intake air sensor.

7. The battery pack fire extinguishing system according to claim 6, wherein: Based on detecting the operation of the cylinder trigger, the first fire extinguishing agent installed in the fire extinguishing pipe is configured to be sprayed to the battery cell at a first time point, and the second fire extinguishing agent installed in the fire extinguishing agent supply unit is configured to be sprayed to the battery cell through the fire extinguishing pipe at a second time point later than the first time point.

8. A method of filling a battery fire extinguishing system with a fire extinguishing agent, the method comprising: providing a fire extinguishing pipe located above the one or more battery cells and connected to a fire extinguishing agent supply unit; Connecting a vacuum pump and a fire extinguishing agent tank to the fire extinguishing pipe via one or more connecting pipes; driving the vacuum pump to evacuate the fire extinguishing pipe; as well as The fire extinguishing agent tank is driven to supply the fire extinguishing agent to the fire extinguishing pipe. 9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the fire extinguishing agent is injected into the fire extinguishing pipe until the interior of the fire extinguishing pipe is in an atmospheric pressure state.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more connecting tubes comprise: A first connecting pipe connected to the fire extinguishing pipe; a second connecting pipe, connecting the vacuum pump to the first connecting pipe; a third connecting pipe, connecting the fire extinguishing agent tank to the first connecting pipe; as well as A first valve is placed at the intersection of the first connecting pipe, the second connecting pipe and the third connecting pipe, wherein the operation of the vacuum pump connects the first connection pipe and the second connection pipe to each other and disconnects the first connection pipe and the third connection pipe from each other via the operation of the first valve, and The operation of the fire extinguishing agent tank connects the first connection pipe and the third connection pipe to each other and disconnects the first connection pipe and the second connection pipe from each other via the operation of the first valve.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the one or more connecting pipes further comprises a second valve, the second valve being placed at the intersection of the fire extinguishing pipe and the first connecting pipe, wherein the operation of the vacuum pump or the fire extinguishing agent tank connects the fire extinguishing pipe and the first connecting pipe to each other via the operation of the second valve, and The operation of stopping the vacuum pump and the fire extinguishing agent tank disconnects the fire extinguishing pipe and the first connecting pipe from each other via the operation of the second valve.

Images