Battery module container provided with cooling system, power storage system and related method

Abstract

The invention relates to a container (12) comprising a diffusion system (31) for diffusing cooling air to each battery module (16), the diffusion system (31) comprising means for generating cooling air. The cooling air diffusion system (31) comprises at least two horizontal tubes (62) for delivering cooling air to the battery modules (16), between which an intermediate space (64) is defined, each horizontal tube (62) having a plurality of cooling air diffusion openings (80) intended to be opened towards an adjoining battery module (16) placed along the horizontal tube (62). The cooling air diffusion system (31) comprises at least one vertical air chamber (66) connected to the cooling air generating device (60) and to the horizontal tube (62) for distributing cooling air in the horizontal tube (62).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container of a battery module, which comprises a structure, wherein:

[0002] - a base plate having an upper support surface for the battery modules,

[0003] - peripheral wall,

[0004] - a top plate arranged above the peripheral wall,

[0005] The bottom plate, the peripheral wall and the top plate define an internal volume for receiving the battery module.

[0006] a diffusion system for diffusing cooling air towards each battery module comprised in said internal volume, said diffusion system comprising cooling air generating means.

[0007] Such containers are intended to house battery modules in order to provide a mobile power source suitable for temporary or permanent installation at a location where power is required. Background Art

[0008] Generally, it is known to construct a power storage system by arranging battery modules and units for electrical and thermal management of the modules in a standard parallelepiped container. Such a storage system can be easily moved, in particular by road transport, rail transport, sea transport or air transport.

[0009] The structure of the container receiving the battery module generally includes a bottom plate, a peripheral wall protruding from the bottom plate, and a top plate enclosing an internal volume body accommodating the battery module. The peripheral wall is equipped with a door to enter the internal volume body when necessary.

[0010] During operation, the module included in the container is charged to store power received from a power source and discharged to provide power to a power consumption device. Continuous charging and discharging causes overheating of the battery cells of the battery module, thus causing a temperature increase within the battery module.

[0011] However, the battery modules should preferably be operated within a very precise temperature range, for example between 18°C ​​and 25°C.

[0012] In some cases, the battery module may reach a temperature much higher than the desired temperature, such as approximately 40°C.

[0013] Above a certain temperature, the battery cells of a battery module have an irreversibly shortened battery life. In some cases, the degradation leads to container-damaging events, such as thermal runaway.

[0014] Furthermore, below a certain temperature, the module has an increased internal resistance and heats up more due to the Joule effect.

[0015] Therefore, it is necessary to cool the modules so that they are at the ideal operating temperature.

[0016] For this purpose, it is known to equip the container with a cooling air generating device by placing it below the roof above the battery modules. The cooling air generating device blows cooling air from top to bottom.

[0017] This solution is not entirely satisfactory. In fact, the diffusion of cold air around the modules from top to bottom creates a vertical thermal gradient, because the modules at the top are cooler than the modules at the bottom. Similarly, the modules closer to the cooling air generation device are cooled more than the modules farthest away, which results in an axial temperature gradient.

[0018] To overcome this problem, CN112259827 describes a storage system in which a duct is used to deliver cool air from top to bottom toward each battery module that is individually connected to the duct. The hot air generated in each module is recovered and delivered to a cooling air generation device through a duct.

[0019] This solution is not always optimal. In fact, since the ducts that bring the cold air to the modules are vertical, a vertical thermal gradient always exists. More specifically, the cold air flow is not evenly distributed through the different modules, where the upper modules first use the cold air and the lower modules continue to receive warmer air.

[0020] In addition, this solution is particularly suitable for buildings where the hot air leaving the module can be easily extracted to the outside, but is not suitable for applications such as where the volume of the container is limited and the container must be airtight. In addition, the cooling system is bulky. Summary of the invention

[0021] An object of the present invention is to provide a power storage system in which overheating of a battery module during continuous charging and discharging is limited and occurs uniformly across all battery modules.

[0022] To this end, the subject of the invention is a container of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the cooling air diffusion system comprises at least two horizontal tubes for conveying cooling air towards the battery modules, an intermediate space being defined between the at least two horizontal tubes, each horizontal tube having a plurality of openings for diffusing the cooling air, the plurality of openings being intended to be open towards adjacent battery modules placed along the horizontal tubes, the cooling air diffusion system comprising at least one vertical air chamber, the at least one vertical air chamber being connected to the cooling air generating device and to the horizontal tubes so as to distribute the cooling air in the horizontal tubes.

[0023] The container according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken alone or in all technically possible combinations:

[0024] - the cooling air diffusion system comprises at least three horizontal tubes distributed over the height of the vertical plenums, the assembly formed by the horizontal tubes and the vertical plenums forming a cooling air diffusion comb;

[0025] - the internal volume body comprises at least one battery module storage compartment, the horizontal tube extending horizontally over more than 50% of the length of the battery module storage compartment;

[0026] - the vertical plenum internally comprises a plurality of vanes for distributing the cooling air flow between the horizontal tubes;

[0027] - at least two diffusion openings along each horizontal tube have cross-sections with different surface areas, and / or at least one diffusion opening on one horizontal tube has a cross-section with a surface area that is different from the surface area of ​​another diffusion opening on another horizontal tube;

[0028] - at least a portion of the diffusion opening opens vertically upwards, advantageously, at least a portion of the diffusion opening opens vertically downwards;

[0029] The air chamber has in its interior space an inlet opening for cooling air connected to the cooling air generating device, the surface area A1 of the internal cross section of the inlet opening for cooling air in the interior space being substantially equal to the sum of the surface areas A2 of the internal cross sections of all horizontal tubes.

[0030] Another subject of the invention is an electricity storage system comprising:

[0031] - a container as defined above;

[0032] - a battery module received in said internal volume;

[0033] - Terminals connected to the battery module and intended to be connected to consumers of the electric power supplied by the battery module and / or to electric power supply means for recharging the battery module.

[0034] The system according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0035] - the storage system comprises at least one transverse row of battery modules, each transverse row comprising a plurality of vertical columns of battery modules, the horizontal tubes extending along the transverse row of battery modules at different heights relative to each vertical column;

[0036] - Each battery module is positioned opposite a horizontal tube comprising a diffusion opening dedicated to each battery module;

[0037] - each battery module comprises a housing defining a fresh air intake passage, the diffusion opening opening being open adjacent to the fresh air intake passage without any connection to the fresh air intake passage;

[0038] - the housing has a hot air exhaust channel which enters the inner volume without being connected to a hot air collection system;

[0039] The cooling air generation device comprises a hot air intake inlet, the battery module and the cooling air diffusion system externally defining a fluid path between each hot air exhaust channel in the inner volume and the intake inlet.

[0040] Another subject of the invention is a method for cooling a battery module in a storage system as defined above, the method comprising the following steps:

[0041] - generating cooling air using the cooling air generating device,

[0042] - passing cooling air in said vertical plenum to distribute said cooling air between said horizontal tubes,

[0043] - circulating the cooling air through the horizontal ducts to the diffusion openings,

[0044] - diffusing cooling air from the diffusing opening to the battery module,

[0045] - Cooling air is drawn into the battery module.

[0046] The method according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0047] - The temperature difference between the temperature of the hottest battery module and the average temperature of the battery modules is less than 5°C;

[0048] - The cooling method includes exhausting heated air through each battery module and circulating the heated air between the battery module and the cooling air diffusion system to a heated air intake inlet of the cooling air generation device without passing through a hot air collection system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The invention will be better understood from reading the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0050] -[ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 is a three-quarter front perspective view of a first power storage system according to the present invention;

[0051] -[ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along a middle vertical plane of a first power storage system according to the present invention;

[0052] -[ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along a horizontal plane of a first power storage system according to the present invention;

[0053] -[ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view along a vertical plane of an air chamber of a cooling air diffusion system of a first power storage system according to the present invention;

[0054] -[ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 is similar to Figure 3 , showing a variation of the power storage system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] Figures 1 to 4 A first electrical energy storage system 10 according to the invention is shown.

[0056] The storage system 10 is intended to be moved to the operating site, for example, by road transport such as a truck, by rail transport and / or by sea transport such as a transport ship. It is intended to be electrically connected to a network for using electrical energy at the operating site and alternatively to a network for supplying electrical energy to be recharged.

[0057] The storage system 10 comprises a container 12 for battery modules defining an internal volume 14, and a plurality of battery modules 16 received in the internal volume 14. The storage system 10 advantageously comprises a battery management module (BMM) 16 for electrical and thermal management of the modules and a safety system (not shown).

[0058] In this example, refer to Figure 2 The container 12 accommodates, for example, 10 to 150 battery modules 16. It extends along a longitudinal axis AA'.

[0059] The battery modules 16 are mounted in series and / or in parallel in order to deliver power to at least two electrical terminals 22 present on the container 12 , which power may reach, for example, up to 4 MWh for voltages ranging in particular up to 1500 V.

[0060] Each battery module 16 includes a plurality of electrochemical cells, which are received in, for example, a prismatic or cylindrical inner housing or a flexible package. Each electrochemical cell includes an anode, a cathode, and a separator, between which an electrochemical reaction occurs.

[0061] Each battery module 16 includes an outer shell 21 that houses an inner shell or battery cell pack. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , each housing 21 comprises a fresh air intake channel 21A, here open towards the axis AA′, and a hot air exhaust channel 21B, here open away from the axis AA′.

[0062] The battery modules 16 are arranged vertically in columns 22A and horizontally in at least one transverse row 22B (here at least two parallel transverse rows 22B) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis AA′ of the container 12 .

[0063] Each transverse row 22B includes a plurality of vertical columns 22A of battery modules 16 arranged one behind the other parallel to the axis AA′.

[0064] The vertical rows 22A define between them transverse intermediate volumes 22C. Similarly, the transverse rows 22B define between them axial intermediate volumes 22D, the volumes 22C, 22D allowing the air flow to circulate.

[0065] A management system (not shown) is adapted to control the voltage and current delivered by each battery module when supplying power and the power and current delivered to each battery module when recharging the battery module 16 .

[0066] The electrical terminals 22 are intended to be connected to a user network (not shown) to supply the electrical energy stored in the battery module 16 , and alternatively to a power supply network to recharge the battery module 16 .

[0067] The safety system (not shown) includes, for example, a sensor for detecting the temperature and / or pressure in the internal volume body 14, an inert gas source and a control unit, which is suitable for delivering inert gas from the inert gas source to the internal volume body 14 when an increase in temperature, smoke, carbon monoxide and / or pressure in the internal volume body 14 is detected to be greater than a given threshold.

[0068] Reference Figure 1 The container 12 comprises a self-supporting structure 30 intended to define the internal volume 14 and to enable the combined transport of the battery modules 16, the management system and the safety system to the operating site. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , it comprises a system 31 for diffusing cooling air towards each battery module 16 contained in the internal volume 14 .

[0069] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure 30 includes a bottom plate 32, a peripheral wall 36 protruding from the periphery of the bottom plate 32, and a top plate 38. The bottom plate 32, the peripheral wall 36, and the top plate 38 define the inner volume 14 internally.

[0070] The structure 30 of the container 12 has here a polyhedral shape. More specifically, the structure 30 has the shape of a cuboid extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis AA' which is horizontal when the container 12 is placed on a horizontal support.

[0071] The dimensions of the structure 30 are determined by transportation standards.

[0072] The container 12 has, for example, a length greater than 2 m, in particular between 2.5 m and 15 m, a width greater than 1 m, in particular between 2 m and 4 m, and a height greater than 1 m, in particular between 2 m and 4 m.

[0073] The container 12 is specifically a so-called "high cube" 20-foot container having a length of 6.058 m, a width of 2.438 m, and a height of 2.896 m. However, the present invention is applicable to any type of container having ISO corners (e.g., 40-foot (12 m), 10-foot (3 m), etc.).

[0074] Here, the bottom plate 32 is flat. Figure 2 , which defines a flat upper support surface 43 upwardly, which supports the battery module 16, the cooling air diffusion system 31, the management system and the safety system (when the safety system exists).

[0075] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The peripheral wall 36 includes two longitudinal vertical walls 50A, 50B, and the longitudinal walls 50A, 50B are vertically arranged parallel to the axis AA' on both sides of the axis AA'.

[0076] The peripheral wall 36 also comprises two transverse vertical walls 52C, 52D extending perpendicularly to the axis AA′ and connecting the longitudinal walls 50A, 50B to one another at the longitudinal ends of the structure 30 .

[0077] The longitudinal walls 50A, 50B and the transverse walls 52C, 52D delimit in pairs the corners of the structure 30. They define the internal volume 14 towards the outside.

[0078] exist Figures 1 to 3 As can be seen, the longitudinal walls 50A, 50B and the transverse walls 52C, 52D (if appropriate) are provided with movable doors 53A, 53B that can provide a passage for entering the internal volume body 14 from the outside of the container 12, and a mechanism 53C for locking the movable doors 53A, 53B is provided.

[0079] Advantageously, refer to Figure 2The structure 30 may include an internal partition 54 of the internal volume 14 which defines a compartment 56 for storing the battery modules 16 in the internal volume 14 and separately includes a control compartment 58 receiving a management system and a safety system.

[0080] The cooling air diffusion system 31 is arranged in the inner volume 14. It comprises a cooling air generating device 60 (in Figure 3 The cooling air diffusion system 31 further comprises horizontal tubes 62 for diffusing cooling air toward the battery modules 16, the horizontal tubes 62 defining in pairs intermediate spaces 64. The cooling air diffusing system 31 further comprises vertical plenums 66 for distributing the cooling air generated by the generating device 60 in the horizontal tubes 62, the vertical plenums 66 being inserted between the generating device 60 and the horizontal tubes 62.

[0081] Reference Figure 3 The cooling air generating device 60 includes, for example, an air conditioning device 67 that receives hot air at a hot air intake inlet 68 and delivers cooling air to a cooling air discharge outlet 70 .

[0082] The horizontal tubes 62 extend linearly in the intermediate volume 22C along the transverse rows 22B of the battery modules 16. Here, all horizontal tubes extend advantageously parallel to the longitudinal axis AA'.

[0083] The horizontal tubes 62 extend over at least a portion of the length of the facing transverse row 22B, here over the entire length of the transverse row 22B.

[0084] Each horizontal tube 62 is placed opposite to an adjacent surface of the housing 21 of the battery module 16 in which the fresh air intake passage 21A is formed at a predetermined height relative to the bottom plate 32. Advantageously, each horizontal tube 62 is placed near or in contact with an adjacent surface of the housing 21 of the battery module 16 in which the fresh air intake passage 21A is formed.

[0085] Therefore, each fresh air intake passage 21A of the battery modules 16 present in the vertical column 22A within the horizontal row 22B is advantageously arranged opposite to the horizontal duct 62 .

[0086] The horizontal tubes 62 do not intersect and are placed at different heights. They are separated in pairs by intermediate spaces 64. The height of each intermediate space 64 between two adjacent horizontal tubes 62 is preferably greater than 10% of the height separating the central axes of the two adjacent horizontal tubes 62.

[0087] The height of each space 64 is preferably equal to the height of the module 16 so that the horizontal duct 62 is directly opposite the fresh air intake passage 21A.

[0088] The horizontal tubes 62 preferably have coplanar central axes that lie in the same vertical plane containing or parallel to the longitudinal axis AA'.

[0089] The horizontal tube 62 has a vertical cross section of a polygonal or circular outer contour taken perpendicularly to the central axis thereof.

[0090] Furthermore, each horizontal tube 62 has a plurality of openings 80 along its length, opening upwards, for the diffusion of cooling air. Advantageously, some of the horizontal tubes 62 (eg the uppermost tube) also have openings 80, opening downwards, for the diffusion of cooling air.

[0091] In some cases, the tubes 62 may have openings 80 at the top and bottom facing each other for diffusion of cooling air.

[0092] The air diffusion openings 80 advantageously have cross-sections with varying surface areas along each horizontal tube 62 and between the horizontal tubes 62 in order to distribute air between the battery modules 16 according to the cooling needs of the battery modules 16 .

[0093] Therefore, preferably, at least two air diffusion openings 80 along each horizontal tube 62 have cross-sections with different surface areas, and / or at least one air diffusion opening 80 on one horizontal tube 62 has a cross-section with a surface area different from the surface area of ​​another air diffusion opening 80 on another horizontal tube 62.

[0094] Advantageously, at least one air diffusion opening 80 is positioned opposite each fresh air intake passage 21A of each battery module 16 to enable cooling air to diffuse from the horizontal duct 62 to each battery module 16 via the fresh air intake passage 21A.

[0095] As can be seen in the figure, the cooling air diffusion system 31 has no duct connecting the air diffusion openings 80 to the fresh air intake passage 21A. Therefore, the cooling air passes freely and without any physical obstruction between the air diffusion openings 80 and the fresh air intake passage 21A in the intermediate space 64 between two adjacent horizontal tubes 62.

[0096] The vertical plenum 66 is intended to receive the cooling air flow from the cooling air generating device 60 and to distribute the cooling air flow between the different horizontal tubes 62 according to the individual cooling needs of the battery modules 60 located opposite each horizontal tube 62 .

[0097] The vertical air chamber 66 extends at least over the entire height of the horizontal tube 62 at one longitudinal end of the horizontal tube 62 .

[0098] Refer to the schematic diagram Figure 4The vertical plenum 66 includes a housing 90 defining an internal space 92 , and blades 94 arranged in the internal space 92 for distributing cooling air in each horizontal tube 62 .

[0099] The housing 90 has an opening 96 for sucking cooling air into the interior space 92 , which is connected to the cooling air outlet 70 of the cooling air generating device 60 via a flexible distribution duct 98 .

[0100] The housing 90 defines, opposite the horizontal tubes 62, a plurality of vertically distributed cooling air distribution openings 100 to which the horizontal tubes 62 are connected. Each distribution opening 100 thus supplies only the corresponding horizontal tube 62.

[0101] The vertical plenums 66 and the horizontal tubes 62 assembled thereon together form a comb body for distributing cooling air to the different battery modules 16 .

[0102] Reference Figure 4 , the cooling air inlet opening 96 in the interior space 92 has a maximum internal vertical cross-section (taken perpendicularly to the local axis of the opening 96) whose surface area A1 is at least twice greater than the surface area A2 of the maximum vertical internal cross-section (taken perpendicularly to the central axis of the horizontal tube 62) of each horizontal tube 62. The surface area A1 is also substantially equal to the sum of the surface areas A2 of the internal cross-sections of all horizontal tubes 62, for example, between 80% and 120% of the sum of the surface areas A2.

[0103] The air distribution blades 94 are arranged horizontally and / or obliquely in the interior space 92 to form non-intersecting channels 102 for supplying cooling air, which are connected upstream to the inlet opening 96 and downstream each to a respective distribution opening 100 .

[0104] Each channel 102 thus has an internal cross section that advantageously increases from the air inlet opening 96 to each dispensing opening 100. In a variant, the internal cross section is constant or decreases, depending on the requirements in terms of pressure and flow rate.

[0105] The air circulating in the channels 102 is therefore adapted to be distributed in the different horizontal tubes 62 according to the predetermined need for cooling air of each horizontal tube 62 , which itself depends on the predetermined individual need for cooling air of each battery module 60 positioned along the horizontal tube 62 .

[0106] In the example shown in the figure, the battery module 16 and the cooling air diffusion system 31 define externally a free fluid path between each hot air exhaust channel 21B in the inner volume body 14 and the hot air intake inlet 68 of the cooling air generating device 60. The path here extends between the housing 21 of the battery module 16 and the peripheral wall 36 of the container 12 in the lateral intermediate volume body 22C and / or in the axial intermediate volume body 22D.

[0107] Therefore, the container 12 does not include a hot air collection system that includes clean ducts for directing hot air. This significantly improves the volume available in the container 12 for arranging the battery modules 16 therein.

[0108] In operation, the container 12 is connected to a user network to deliver power from the battery module 16 present in the container 12 to the network, or to a power source to recharge the battery module 16 present in the container 12 .

[0109] In order to compensate for possible overheating in the battery module 16 , the cooling air generating device 60 continuously generates cooling air. The temperature of the cooling air is lower than the ambient temperature in the inner volume 14 , for example, 10° C. lower than the ambient temperature.

[0110] The cooling air flow thus generated is delivered to the vertical air chamber 66 via the distribution duct 98 and the opening 96 for the intake of cooling air. It is distributed in the horizontal tube 62 through the circulation channels 102 generated by the distribution vanes 94.

[0111] The cooling air then circulates in the horizontal ducts 62 via the distribution openings 100 and exits each horizontal duct 62 via the diffusion openings 80 facing the battery modules 16 .

[0112] The cooling air then moves toward the fresh air intake passage 21A of the housing 21 of the different battery modules 16 to cool each battery module 16 .

[0113] The heated air in each battery module 16 then exits via the hot air discharge passage 21B of the housing 21 of the battery module 16 and enters the internal volume body 14. It travels freely in the internal volume body 14 toward the hot air intake inlet 68 of the cooling air generating device 60.

[0114] Therefore, the cooling air diffusion system 31 of the container 12 according to the present invention uniformly cools all the battery modules 16 by distributing the cooling air in a manner suitable for the thermal configuration of the battery modules 16. Therefore, all the battery modules 16 can be cooled more efficiently with the same air conditioning capacity, and thus the service life of the energy storage system 10 is increased.

[0115] Due to the arrangement of the plenum 66 and the horizontal tubes 62 protruding from the plenum 66 , the temperature difference between the temperature of the hottest battery module 16 and the average temperature of the battery modules 16 is advantageously less than 5° C.

[0116] Furthermore, the horizontal arrangement of the tubes 62 and the presence of intermediate spaces 64 between them ensure maximum compactness of the cooling air diffusion system 31 , while allowing the beams and structural columns of the container and / or the supports of the battery modules 16 to enter the intermediate spaces 64 .

[0117] exist Figure 5 In the variant schematically shown in , the cooling air generating device 60 is arranged in the central region of the inner volume body 14 in a transverse intermediate volume body 22C between two longitudinal sections 120A, 120B of a transverse row 22B of battery modules 16 .

[0118] A vertical plenum 66 is also positioned in the central region, facing the cooling air generating device 60. Then, the horizontal ducts 62 protrude longitudinally on both sides of the central plenum 66 to extend opposite to each section 120A, 120B of the transverse row of the battery modules 60, respectively.

Claims

1. A container (12) for a battery module (16), comprising a structure (30), the structure (30) comprising: - a base plate (32) having an upper support surface (43) for the battery module (16), - a peripheral wall (36), - a top plate (38) arranged above the peripheral wall (36), The bottom plate (32), the peripheral wall (36) and the top plate (38) define an internal volume (14) for receiving the battery module (16). a diffusion system (31) for diffusing cooling air towards each battery module (16) included in the inner volume (14), the diffusion system (31) comprising a cooling air generating device (60), The present invention is characterized in that the cooling air diffusion system (31) includes at least two horizontal tubes (62) for conveying the cooling air toward the battery module (16), an intermediate space (64) is defined between the at least two horizontal tubes (62), each horizontal tube (62) has a plurality of openings (80) for diffusing cooling air, and the plurality of openings (80) are intended to be open to the adjacent battery modules (16) placed along the horizontal tubes (62), and the cooling air diffusion system (31) includes at least one vertical air chamber (66), which is connected to the cooling air generating device (60) and to the horizontal tubes (62) so as to distribute the cooling air in the horizontal tubes (62).

2. A container (12) for a battery module (16) according to claim 1, wherein the cooling air diffusion system (31) includes at least three horizontal tubes (62) distributed at the height of the vertical air chamber (66), and the assembly formed by the horizontal tubes (62) and the vertical air chamber (66) forms a cooling air diffusion comb.

3. A container (12) for a battery module (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the internal volume body (14) includes at least one compartment (56) for storing the battery module (16), and the horizontal tube (62) extends horizontally for more than 50% of the length of the compartment (56) for storing the battery module (16).

4. A container (12) for a battery module (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vertical air chamber (66) internally comprises a plurality of vanes (94) for distributing the cooling air flow between the horizontal tubes (62).

5. A container (12) for a battery module (16) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two diffusion openings (80) along each horizontal tube (62) have cross-sections with different surface areas, and / or at least one diffusion opening (80) on one horizontal tube (62) has a cross-section with a surface area different from the surface area of ​​another diffusion opening (80) on another horizontal tube (62).

6. The container (12) for a battery module (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the diffusion opening (80) opens vertically upward, preferably at least a portion of the diffusion opening (80) opens vertically downward.

7. A container (12) for a battery module (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air chamber (66) has a cooling air inlet opening (96) connected to the cooling air generating device (60) in its internal space (92), and the surface area A1 of the internal cross-section of the cooling air inlet opening (96) in the internal space (92) is substantially equal to the sum of the surface areas A2 of the internal cross-sections of all horizontal tubes (62).

8. An electric power storage system (10), comprising: - A container (12) according to any one of the preceding claims; - a battery module (16) received in the inner volume (14); - a terminal (22) connected to the battery module (16) and intended to be connected to a power consumer supplied by the battery module (16) and / or to a power supply for recharging the battery module (16).

9. The storage system (10) according to claim 8 comprises at least one horizontal row (22B) of battery modules (16), each horizontal row (22B) comprising a plurality of vertical columns (22A) of modules (16), and the horizontal tube (62) extends along the horizontal row (22B) of the modules (16) at different heights relative to each vertical column (22A).

10. The storage system (10) according to any one of claims 8 or 9, wherein each battery module (16) is positioned opposite a horizontal tube (62), the horizontal tube (62) comprising a diffusion opening (80) dedicated to each battery module (16).

11. A storage system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein each battery module (16) includes a housing (21) defining a fresh air intake channel (21A), and the diffusion opening (80) is open adjacent to the fresh air intake channel (21A) without any connection to the fresh air intake channel (80).

12. The storage system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the housing (21) has a hot air exhaust channel (21B) which enters the inner volume (14) without being connected to a hot air collection system.

13. The storage system (10) of claim 12, wherein the cooling air generating device (60) includes a hot air intake port (68), and the battery module (16) and the cooling air diffusion system (31) define a fluid path between each hot air exhaust channel (21B) and the intake port (68) externally in the internal volume body (14).

14. A method for cooling a battery module (16) of a storage system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following steps: - generating cooling air using a cooling air generating device (60), - passing the cooling air in a vertical plenum (66) to distribute the cooling air between the horizontal tubes (62), - circulating the cooling air through the horizontal tubes (62) to the diffusion openings (80), - diffusing cooling air from the diffusing opening (80) to the battery module (16), - sucking cooling air into the battery module (16).

15. The cooling method according to claim 14 comprises exhausting heated air from each battery module (16) and circulating the heated air between the battery module (16) and the cooling air diffusion system (31) to the heated air intake inlet (68) of the cooling air generating device (60) without passing through a hot air collection system.

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