System for spraying fire extinguishing agent

Abstract

A system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure comprises: a main pipe extending in a first direction and having one end connected to a storage unit for storing a fire extinguishing agent; a shelf tube branched from the main tube and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction; a plurality of branch pipes branched from the shelf pipe and extending in a third direction crossing the second direction; and a plurality of injection pipes branched from the plurality of branch pipes, respectively, extending in a fourth direction crossing the third direction, and having a plurality of nozzle portions therein, respectively, the plurality of nozzle portions defining injection holes configured to be closed by a cover, respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system for dispensing a fire suppressant. Background Art

[0002] Energy storage systems (ESS), which store electrical energy in batteries and supply the stored energy when needed, have been introduced as an alternative to fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Demand for ESS is rapidly growing both domestically and internationally. ESSs are large-scale systems that primarily utilize high-energy-density and high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries, with dozens of modules consisting of dozens of battery cells connected in series and parallel stacked in rack units. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent, which is capable of reducing or minimizing the loss of the fire extinguishing agent.

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent that reduces or minimizes the loss of the fire extinguishing agent by allowing the fire extinguishing agent to move only to a corresponding pipe where an event has occurred.

[0005] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent includes: a main pipe extending in a first direction and having one end connected to a storage unit for storing the fire extinguishing agent; a rack pipe branching from the main pipe and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of branch pipes branching from the rack pipe and extending in a third direction intersecting the second direction; and a plurality of spray pipes branching from the plurality of branch pipes, extending in a fourth direction intersecting the third direction, and each having a plurality of nozzle portions therein, the plurality of nozzle portions each defining a spray hole configured to be closed by a cover.

[0006] The main pipe may include a plurality of pipes arranged in the first direction and a plurality of T-shaped connectors coupling the plurality of pipes, wherein an upper end of the rack pipe is coupled to a lower end of one of the plurality of T-shaped connectors, and wherein the system further includes a barrier pipe between the lower end of the one of the plurality of T-shaped connectors and the upper end of the rack pipe, the barrier pipe being configured to transition from a communication-blocked state to a communication-open state to allow the fire extinguishing agent to move to the rack pipe when a fire extinguishing agent injection pressure exceeds a threshold value.

[0007] The system may further include a blocking portion to maintain the interior of the barrier tube in the communication blocking state, and when a pressure exceeding the threshold value is applied to the blocking portion, the interior of the barrier tube transitions to the communication opening state.

[0008] The system may further include: a plurality of racks arranged in a row; and a pipe communication structure including the main pipe, the rack pipe, one of the plurality of branch pipes, and one of the plurality of spray pipes on one of the plurality of racks, and each of the pipes in the plurality of racks is connected to each other, so that the fire extinguishing agent is sequentially supplied inside the pipes.

[0009] The rack pipe may be connected to the main pipe via the barrier pipe, wherein the rack pipe is in communication with the one of the plurality of branch pipes and the one of the plurality of injection pipes downstream thereof, and wherein the barrier pipe engaged with the rack pipe connected to the one of the plurality of injection pipes corresponding to the battery cell in which an event has occurred is configured to transition to the communication-open state to allow the fire extinguishing agent to move to the rack pipe.

[0010] The blocking portion may include: a membrane configured to block the interior of the barrier tube in the communication blocking state; and a rupture line in the membrane configured to rupture when the fire extinguishing agent injection pressure applied thereto exceeds the threshold value, so that the barrier tube enters the communication opening state.

[0011] The rupture line may comprise a straight line, a cross or a circle, wherein the threshold value is approximately 1.5 bar.

[0012] The blocking portion may be a ball for blocking the communication with the interior of the barrier tube, wherein the system further includes a protrusion on the inner surface of the barrier tube for limiting separation of the ball from the barrier tube and configured to be damaged by the ball when the fire extinguishing agent injection pressure applied to the ball exceeds the threshold value, so as to place the barrier tube in the communication-open state.

[0013] The barrier tube may include a circular or polygonal cross-section.

[0014] The system may further include a plurality of rack frames arranged in a row, wherein the plurality of spray pipes pass through upper sides of the plurality of battery cells on the plurality of rack frames, and wherein the plurality of nozzles are respectively located in the plurality of spray pipes to correspond one-to-one to the plurality of battery cells.

[0015] The plurality of nozzle portions may be respectively located directly above the safety vent of a corresponding one of the plurality of battery cells.

[0016] At least some of the above and other features of the invention are set forth in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 The pipe connecting structure is installed in Figure 1 A perspective view of the state on the shelf in.

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of .

[0020] Figure 4 Only shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the pipe communication structure in FIG.

[0021] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the injection pipe coupled to the frame, viewed from above.

[0022] Figure 5B is a perspective view of the injection pipe coupled to the frame as viewed from below.

[0023] Figure 6 is a partial perspective view showing a structure in which an injection pipe and a battery cell are arranged.

[0024] Figure 7A is a conceptual diagram of a barrier tube of a system for injecting a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 7B is a conceptual diagram of a barrier tube of a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more other embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] By referring to the detailed description and drawings of the embodiments, it is easier to understand the aspects of some embodiments of the present disclosure and their implementation methods. The described embodiments are provided as examples so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the aspects of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Therefore, redundant, irrelevant or unrelated to the description of the embodiments or processes, elements and techniques that are not necessary for a person of ordinary skill in the art to fully understand the aspects of the present disclosure can be omitted. Unless otherwise stated, throughout the drawings and written description, the same reference numerals, characters or combinations thereof indicate the same elements, and therefore their repeated descriptions can be omitted.

[0027] The described embodiments may have various modifications, may be implemented in different forms, and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments illustrated herein. The use of "can," "may," or "may not" when describing an embodiment corresponds to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] In view of the entire content of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents and replacements within the scope of the ideas and techniques of the present disclosure, that each feature of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined with each other in part or in whole, and that various technical interlocks and operations are possible, and that, unless otherwise stated or implied, each embodiment may be implemented independently of each other, or may be implemented together in an associated manner.

[0029] In the accompanying drawings, the relative sizes of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity and / or descriptive purposes. Various embodiments are described herein with reference to schematic cross-sectional illustrations of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. Therefore, variations in the illustrated shapes due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are to be expected. Further, the specific structural or functional descriptions disclosed herein are merely illustrative for the purpose of describing embodiments according to the concepts of the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein should not be interpreted as being limited to the illustrated shapes of elements, layers, or regions, but should include shape deviations caused by, for example, manufacturing.

[0030] For ease of explanation, spatial relative terms such as "below", "below", "down", "downside", "below", "above", "upper side" and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of an element or feature to other elements or features as shown in the figures. It will be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device when in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device in the drawings is turned over, the elements or features described as being "below", "below" or "below" other elements or features can be positioned "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the terms "below" and "below" can include both above and below orientations. The device can be positioned in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, when a first part is described as being arranged "on" a second part, this means that the first part is arranged on the upper or lower side of the second part, and is not limited to its upper side based on the direction of gravity.

[0031] It will be understood that when an element, layer, region, or component is referred to as being "formed on," "on" another element, layer, region, or component, "connected to," or "(operably or communicatively) coupled to" another element, layer, region, or component, it may be directly formed on, on, directly connected to, or coupled to the other element, layer, region, or component, or indirectly formed on, on, indirectly connected to, or coupled to the other element, layer, region, or component, such that one or more intervening elements, layers, regions, or components may be present. Furthermore, this may generally refer to direct or indirect coupling or connection, as well as integral or non-integral coupling or connection. For example, when a layer, region, or component is referred to as being "electrically connected" or "electrically coupled" to another layer, region, or component, it may be directly electrically connected or coupled to the other layer, region, and / or component, or one or more intervening layers, regions, or components may be present. The one or more intervening components may include switches, resistors, and / or capacitors, etc. When describing the embodiments, unless explicitly described as directly connected, the expression of connection indicates electrical connection, and “directly connected / directly coupled” or “directly on…” means that one component is directly connected or coupled to another component or on another component without intervening components.

[0032] In addition, in this specification, when a part of a layer, film, zone, plate, etc. is formed on another part, the formation direction is not limited to the upper direction, but includes forming the part on the side surface or in the lower direction. On the contrary, when a part of a layer, film, zone, plate, etc. is formed "below" another part, this includes not only the case where the part is "directly" "below" the other part, but also the case where there is another part between the part and the other part. At the same time, other expressions such as "between", "directly between" or "adjacent" and "directly adjacent" that describe the relationship between components can also be interpreted similarly. It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "between" two elements or layers, it can be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, or one or more intermediate elements or layers can also be present.

[0033] For the purposes of this disclosure, expressions such as “at least one of,” “any one of,” or “one or more of” when preceding / following a list of elements modify the entire list of elements rather than the individual elements in the list. For example, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may be interpreted as only X, only Y, only Z, any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z, such as, for example, XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ, or any variations thereof. Similarly, the expression “at least one of A and B” may include A, B, or A and B. As used herein, “or” generally means “and / or,” and the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items. For example, the expression “A and / or B” may include A, B, or A and B. Similarly, expressions such as “at least one of,” “a plurality of,” “one of,” and other prepositional phrases when preceding / following a list of elements modify the entire list of elements rather than the individual elements in the list.

[0034] It will be understood that although the terms "first", "second" and "third" can be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms do not correspond to a specific order, position or superiority, and are only used to distinguish one element, component, component, region, area, layer, segment or part from another element, component, component, region, area, layer, segment or part. Therefore, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer or segment described below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or segment. Describing an element as a "first" element may not require or imply the presence of a second element or other element. The terms "first", "second" and the like can also be used to distinguish elements of different categories or different groups in this article. For simplicity, the terms "first", "second" and the like can respectively represent "first class (or first group)", "second class (or second group)" and the like.

[0035] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form "a" and "an" are intended to include the plural form, and the plural form is intended to include the singular form. It will be further understood that the terms "comprising," "having," and "including" when used in this specification specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts, and / or groups thereof.

[0036] As used herein, the terms "substantially," "about," "approximately," and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than terms of degree, and are intended to take into account the inherent deviations in measured or calculated values that one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize. For example, "substantially" may include a range of + / - 5% of the corresponding value. As used herein, "approximately" or "approximately" includes the stated value and a value within an acceptable range of deviation for a particular value determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "approximately" may refer to being within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5% of the stated value. Further, "may" is used when describing embodiments of the present disclosure to refer to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure."

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology and / or this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined as such herein.

[0038] An energy storage system (ESS) may be a large-scale facility that primarily uses lithium-ion batteries having high energy density and high efficiency, and has dozens of modules having dozens of battery cells connected in series and parallel stacked in rack units.

[0039] Lithium-ion batteries are suitable for their high energy density and lightweight properties, but they also have drawbacks that can threaten system safety due to their use of flammable electrolytes. Furthermore, because lithium-ion batteries can be temperature-sensitive, their capacity can be significantly reduced if over-discharged, and they can become extremely unstable if over-charged, potentially leading to explosions and fires due to internal electrode short circuits or external shocks. For example, to extinguish fires in lithium-ion batteries, it may be desirable to reduce or prevent the possibility of continuous reignition caused by thermal runaway, a phenomenon in which heat is rapidly generated when an oxidizing positive electrode and a reducing negative electrode come into contact due to the collapse of a polymer separator. Similarly, it is also desirable to reduce or prevent the possibility of a fire spreading to adjacent cells.

[0040] Traditionally, if thermal runaway occurs in each of the secondary batteries in an ESS rack, or if a secondary battery catches fire or explodes, fire extinguishing equipment can be activated to cool the secondary battery or extinguish the fire. To this end, a system can be constructed to spray fire extinguishing agent into each cell of the ESS. For example, multiple tubes can be interconnected to form a fire extinguishing agent flow path from a storage unit storing fire extinguishing agent to each battery cell. If an event such as thermal runaway occurs in a corresponding battery cell, the fire in the cell can be extinguished by initially injecting fire extinguishing agent into the tubes and then allowing the fire extinguishing agent to sequentially move to the cell where the event has occurred.

[0041] However, an ESS may include many cells, and the fire extinguishing system may include many connected pipes to supply and spray fire extinguishing agent to each cell. For example, a main pipe through which fire extinguishing agent is supplied may branch into multiple main pipes in the direction of supply of fire extinguishing agent, a rack pipe may be installed in each of the main pipes, multiple branch pipes may be installed in the rack pipe, and multiple spray pipes may be connected to each branch pipe. Fire extinguishing agent may be sprayed onto the cells through multiple nozzles provided in the spray pipes.

[0042] However, if thermal runaway occurs in a corresponding cell, fire extinguishing agent may be supplied from a storage unit to the main pipe in order to supply the fire extinguishing agent to the injection pipe where the corresponding cell is installed. Conventionally, since fire extinguishing agent is not supplied only to the rack pipe leading to the corresponding cell, fire extinguishing agent may leak to each rack pipe branching and extending from the main pipe, resulting in unnecessary loss of fire extinguishing agent.

[0043] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The pipe connecting structure is installed in Figure 1 A perspective view of the state on the frame in Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of Figure 4 Only shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the pipe connection structure in FIG. Figure 5A is a perspective view of the injection pipe connected to the frame as viewed from above, Figure 5B is a perspective view of the injection pipe connected to the frame as viewed from below, Figure 6 is a partial perspective view showing a structure in which an injection pipe and a battery cell are arranged, Figure 7A is a conceptual diagram of a barrier tube of a system for ejecting a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and Figure 7B is a conceptual diagram of a barrier tube of a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0044] The fire extinguishing agent injection system 100 of the present disclosure includes a storage unit or a storage portion 10 , a frame, and a pipe communication structure installed on the frame.

[0045] The storage portion 10 is a container that stores a fire extinguishing agent such as water, carbon dioxide, and a halogen compound for extinguishing a fire or flame.

[0046] Multiple battery cells 11 are stored in a rack frame, and a pipe connection structure is installed in the frame. The pipe connection structure includes a main pipe 110, a rack pipe 120, multiple branch pipes 130, and multiple injection pipes 140. The pipe connection structure is configured to allow these pipes to be connected to each other, so that the fire extinguishing agent flows sequentially within the pipes.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, the fire extinguishing agent injection system 100 of the present disclosure includes a plurality of frames and can be configured as a system in which a pipe communication structure is mounted on each frame. The pipe communication structures can be connected to each other via connections between main pipes. The fire extinguishing agent injection system 100 can include a storage unit 10, a plurality of frames arranged in a row, and a pipe communication structure mounted on each frame.

[0048] The pipe connection structure may be mounted on each frame. As described above, each of the pipe connection structures may include a main pipe 110, a frame pipe 120, one of the plurality of branch pipes 130, and one of the plurality of injection pipes 140. These pipes may be connected to each other to form a structure in which the fire extinguishing agent flows sequentially.

[0049] The main pipe 110 has one end connected to the storage portion 10 and extends in the first direction. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The main pipe 110 may be connected to a T-shaped connector 112 and may be connected to a rack pipe 120 via the T-shaped connector 112. For example, the first direction may be a substantially horizontal direction. In one or more embodiments, the main pipe 110 may include a plurality of pipes arranged in the first direction and a T-shaped connector 112 that couples the plurality of pipes.

[0050] In one or more embodiments of a system including a plurality of racks, the pipe communication structure provided in each rack may be designed to receive the fire extinguishing agent from the storage portion 10 by connecting the main pipes 110 to communicate with each other.

[0051] In one or more embodiments, the rack pipe 120 branches off from the main pipe 110 and extends in a second direction (e.g., downward). For example, the T-shaped connector 112 may be coupled to the main pipe 110, and the upper end of the rack pipe 120 may be coupled to the lower end of the T-shaped connector 122. As shown, the second direction may be downward or substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

[0052] In one or more embodiments, a plurality of branch tubes 130 are arranged in the frame up and down and at intervals from each other in the second direction. Each branch tube 130 can extend from the frame tube 120 in a third direction. As shown, the third direction can also be a generally horizontal direction and can have an orientation generally parallel to the first direction. For example, in Figure 1 In the embodiment, twelve branch pipes 130 may be arranged in one frame and may be spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction (eg, in the second direction).

[0053] In one or more embodiments, a plurality of injection pipes 140 are branched from each branch pipe 130 and extend in the fourth direction. The plurality of injection pipes 140 are arranged along the third direction and at a certain interval in each branch pipe 130. The injection pipes 140 extend in the fourth direction. Figure 5A As shown in FIG, the spray pipe 140 may be placed in place and may extend along the pipe receiving slot 160 provided on each frame. The fourth direction may be a generally horizontal direction generally perpendicular to the first direction.

[0054] refer to Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B and Figure 6 , the injection pipe 140 is arranged to pass through the upper part or upper side of the battery cell 11 mounted on the frame. A plurality of nozzle portions 141 are provided in the injection pipe 140 at certain intervals (e.g., preset intervals) in the extension direction (e.g., the fourth direction). The plurality of nozzle portions 141 can be located in the injection pipe 140 to correspond one-to-one to the plurality of battery cells 11. In one or more embodiments, the battery cells 11 are arranged adjacent to each nozzle portion 141. The battery cells 11 are not directly coupled to the nozzle portion 141, but each of the nozzle portions 141 can be placed directly above the safety vent of a corresponding one of the battery cells 11. For example, each of the nozzle portions 141 includes or defines a injection hole 142 in a closed state. The battery cells 11 can be arranged one-to-one under each nozzle portion 141 so that the nozzle portion 141 and the battery cell 11 are placed very close. For example, the injection hole 142 can be blocked with a cover that can be a film or sheet type, the state of which can be changed due to the heat generated by thermal runaway of the battery cell 11. If an event occurs in the corresponding battery cell 11 , the cover blocking the spray hole 142 of each of the nozzle parts 141 adjacent to the battery cell 11 may be melted and opened due to heat, and the fire extinguishing agent can be supplied into the battery cell 11 .

[0055] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides a fire extinguishing agent injection system 100 capable of controlling the movement path of the fire extinguishing agent so that the fire extinguishing agent is moved only to the corresponding pipe where an event occurs. A barrier pipe 150 may be installed between the main pipe 110 and the rack pipe 120 branching from the main pipe 110. For example, the barrier pipe 150 may be installed between the lower end of the T-connector 112 provided in the main pipe 110 and the upper end of the rack pipe 120 branching from the main pipe 110.

[0056] The barrier tube 150 can be configured to maintain a communication-blocked state during normal operation, but can transition to a communication-opened state if the fire extinguishing agent injection pressure exceeds a threshold of the barrier tube 150. For example, the barrier tube 150 can be configured to rupture at a pressure above approximately 1 bar. As described above, the barrier tube 150 can be provided in the path of fire extinguishing agent movement to selectively allow communication, allowing the fire extinguishing agent to move only to the corresponding rack pipe 120. The barrier tube 150 can be configured so that its interior transitions to a communication-blocked state via a blocking portion (e.g., a blocking member) 151. The barrier tube 150 can be configured so that its interior transitions to a communication-opened state if the injection pressure applied to the blocking portion 151 exceeds, for example, 1.5 bar. Each rack pipe 120 can be connected to the main pipe 110 via the barrier tube 150. The rack pipe 120 can communicate with the branch pipe 130 and the injection pipe 140. Because the barrier tube 150 can be set to a communication-blocked state via the blocking portion 151, fluid movement can be blocked between the main pipe 110 and the rack pipe 120. In one or more embodiments, any one of the barrier tubes 150 can be switched to an open communication state, and fluid movement can be allowed only through the rack tube 120 connected to the corresponding barrier tube 150. In one or more embodiments, when the nozzle portion 140 adjacent to the corresponding battery cell where an event has occurred is opened, only the barrier tube 150 to which the rack tube 120 connected to the injection tube 140 is connected is switched to an open communication state. The barrier tubes 150 corresponding to the remaining rack tubes 120 can remain in a blocked communication state. As a result, fire extinguishing agent can be allowed to move only to the rack tube 120 corresponding to the corresponding battery cell 11 where an event has occurred.

[0057] The barrier tube 150 may be configured to open if the fire suppressant injection pressure applied thereto exceeds a threshold value (eg, a preset threshold value).

[0058] refer to Figure 7A or Figure 7BIn the barrier tube 150, the upper space of the blocking portion 151 (e.g., upstream of the blocking portion 151 in the barrier tube 150) is communicatively connected to the main tube 110. The lower space of the blocking portion 151 (e.g., downstream of the blocking portion 151 in the barrier tube 150) is communicatively connected to the rack tube 120, the branch tube 130, and the injection pipe 140. In one or more embodiments, if no event occurs in the corresponding battery cell 11, the injection hole 142 of the nozzle portion 141 connected to the battery cell 11 may remain in a closed state, and the gas generated due to the runaway may not be detected by the controller that controls the delivery operation of the fire extinguishing agent. The command to inject the fire extinguishing agent from the storage unit 10 will not be issued, and in this state, the blocking portion 151 may remain in a communication-blocked state.

[0059] If an event does occur in a corresponding battery cell 11, fire extinguishing agent can be ejected from the storage unit 10 via the controller. If thermal runaway occurs in a corresponding battery cell 11, the nozzle portion 141 attached to the ejection pipe 140, connected to the battery cell 11, can melt due to the heat of the battery cell 11, and the corresponding nozzle portion 141 of the ejection pipe 140 can communicate with the interior of the battery cell 11. In the fire extinguishing agent ejection system of the present disclosure, the controller that controls the delivery operation of the fire extinguishing agent can initiate the delivery of the fire extinguishing agent upon detecting the gas generated during thermal runaway. Fire extinguishing agent can be ejected from the storage unit 10 to move along each pipe. The fire extinguishing agent ejection pressure can be approximately 3 bar. If the fire extinguishing agent reaches the top of the rack pipe 120 through the main pipe 110, the fire extinguishing agent ejection pressure in the rack pipe 120 can be approximately 1.5 bar.

[0060] As described above, the barrier tube 150 is placed between the main pipe 110 and the rack pipe 120. If the extinguishing agent injection pressure applied to the barrier tube 150 exceeds the designed bursting pressure of the barrier tube 150, the membrane ( Figure 7A ) can rupture, opening the barrier tube 150. For example, if the rupture pressure of the barrier tube 150 is designed to be lower than 1.5 bar, the barrier tube 150 can be opened by the pressure of the fire extinguishing agent injection. In one or more embodiments, if the barrier tube 150 is opened, the fire extinguishing agent can be introduced into the rack tube 120, each branch tube 130, and each injection pipe 140. Among the injection holes 142 provided in the injection pipe 140, only the injection holes 142 adjacent to the corresponding battery cell 11 are ruptured, the pressure in the corresponding area becomes relatively low, and the fire extinguishing agent passing through the barrier tube 150 can be concentratedly introduced into the corresponding injection pipe 140 with the opened injection hole 142.

[0061] For example, the barrier 150 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, which is capable of implementing these functions, can be implemented through the following two embodiments. First, Figure 7A1 is a conceptual diagram of a barrier tube 150 of a system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The blocking portion 151 of the barrier tube 150 may be a membrane. The interior of the barrier tube 150 may be blocked from communication by the membrane. The membrane may be designed in a circular shape and may be placed in the middle of the barrier tube 150. In one or more embodiments, a rupture line 152 may be provided in the membrane, for example, the rupture line 152 may be formed in the shape of a straight line, a cross, or a circle. In one or more embodiments, the rupture line 152 may be configured to rupture if pressure (e.g., a preset pressure) is applied. For example, if a fire extinguishing agent spray pressure higher than a critical pressure of approximately 1.5 bar is applied, the rupture line 152 may rupture.

[0062] Since only the blocking portion 151 provided in the corresponding rack pipe 120 is turned into a communication open state, the fire extinguishing agent can flow through the corresponding rack pipe 120 to the battery cell 11 where an event has occurred, and can be centrally supplied to the corresponding battery cell 11. The barrier tube 150 can be modified into various shapes, for example, a barrier tube with a circular or polygonal cross section can be adopted. In one or more embodiments, the membrane can be modified according to the shape of the barrier tube 150. Figure 7A , the rupture line 152 can be configured as a cross, and can be modified to other shapes, such as a straight line or a circle. In one or more embodiments, considering the movement path of the fire extinguishing agent, the rupture line 152 can also be formed at the edge of the circular film.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, Figure 7B FIG1 is a conceptual diagram of a barrier tube 150 of a system 100 for ejecting a fire extinguishing agent according to one or more other embodiments of the present disclosure. The blocking portion 151 of the barrier tube 150 may be a ball (e.g., a spherical member or a ball member). A protrusion 163 may be provided on the lower inner circumferential surface of the barrier tube 150 to limit the ball's separation. Protrusion 163 can reduce or prevent the possibility of the ball blocking the interior of the barrier tube 150. If the fire extinguishing agent ejection pressure applied to the ball exceeds a threshold, protrusion 163 may be damaged by the ball, and the ball may separate from the barrier tube 150, allowing communication between the two spaces. The threshold may be set to approximately 1.5 bar. If a pressure exceeding approximately 1.5 bar is applied to the ball, protrusion 163 may be damaged, and only the blocking portion 151 provided in the corresponding rack tube 120 may be switched to an open state. Fire extinguishing agent can then flow downstream through the corresponding rack tube 120 and be centrally supplied to the battery cell 11 where an event has occurred.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, the barrier tube 150 may be placed between the main tube 110 and the T-connector 112. The barrier tube 150 may be arranged in a substantially horizontal direction, and protrusions 163 may be provided on the inner circumferential surface of the lateral side of the barrier tube 150 to limit the separation of the balls and reduce or prevent the possibility that the interior of the barrier tube 150 is blocked by the balls.

[0065] With this configuration, fire extinguishing agent can be supplied only to the battery cells 11 that have experienced an event within the multiple rack tubes 120, and leakage of fire extinguishing agent to the remaining rack tubes 120 can be suppressed. This can advantageously allow fire extinguishing agent injected to address thermal runaway to be supplied directly to the battery cells 11 that have experienced the event, further improving fire extinguishing performance. In one or more embodiments, since fire extinguishing agent loss is significantly mitigated, additional fire extinguishing agent injection is not required to achieve the same fire extinguishing effect, resulting in a savings in fire extinguishing agent usage.

[0066] As described above, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, since the movement of the fire extinguishing agent is allowed only through the corresponding tubes connected to the cells where an event such as thermal runaway has occurred, the movement of the fire extinguishing agent to unnecessary tubes is blocked, which can reduce or minimize the loss of the fire extinguishing agent.

[0067] Although the system for ejecting a fire extinguishing agent according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, this is merely an example, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications may be made therein. Various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims including functional equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A system for spraying a fire extinguishing agent, the system comprising: a main pipe extending in a first direction and having one end connected to a storage unit for storing a fire extinguishing agent; a rack pipe branching from the main pipe and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of branch pipes branching from the rack pipe and extending in a third direction intersecting the second direction; as well as A plurality of spray pipes are respectively branched from the plurality of branch pipes, extend in a fourth direction intersecting the third direction, and respectively have a plurality of nozzle portions therein, the plurality of nozzle portions respectively defining spray holes configured to be closed by a cover.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the main pipe comprises a plurality of pipes arranged in the first direction and a plurality of T-shaped connectors connecting the plurality of pipes, wherein the upper end of the rack pipe is coupled to the lower end of one of the plurality of T-shaped connectors, and The system further includes a barrier pipe between the lower end of the one of the plurality of T-shaped connectors and the upper end of the rack pipe, the barrier pipe being configured to transition from a communication-blocked state to a communication-open state when a fire extinguishing agent injection pressure exceeds a threshold value, so as to allow the fire extinguishing agent to move to the rack pipe.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a blocking portion to maintain the interior of the barrier tube in the communication blocking state, and when a pressure exceeding the threshold value is applied to the blocking portion, the interior of the barrier tube is transformed into the communication opening state.

4. The system according to claim 3, further comprising: Multiple frames are arranged in a row; as well as A pipe communication structure includes the main pipe, the rack pipe, one of the branch pipes, and one of the injection pipes on one of the plurality of rack frames, and each of the pipes in the plurality of rack frames is connected to each other so that the fire extinguishing agent is sequentially supplied inside the pipes.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the rack pipe is connected to the main pipe through the barrier pipe, wherein the rack pipe is in communication with the one of the plurality of branch pipes and the one of the plurality of injection pipes downstream thereof, and The barrier pipe engaged with the rack pipe connected to the one of the plurality of spray pipes corresponding to the battery cell where an event has occurred is configured to transition to the communication open state to allow the fire extinguishing agent to move to the rack pipe.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the barrier comprises: a membrane configured to block the interior of the barrier tube in the communication blocking state; as well as A rupture line is provided in the membrane and is configured to rupture when the fire extinguishing agent injection pressure applied thereto exceeds the threshold value, so that the barrier tube enters the communication-open state.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the rupture line comprises a straight line, a cross, or a circle, and The threshold value is 1.5 bar.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the blocking portion is a ball for blocking communication with the interior of the barrier tube, The system further includes a protrusion on the inner surface of the barrier tube for limiting separation of the ball from the barrier tube and configured to be damaged by the ball when the fire extinguishing agent injection pressure applied to the ball exceeds the threshold value, so as to place the barrier tube in the communication-open state.

9. The system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the barrier tube comprises a circular or polygonal cross-section.

10. The system according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a plurality of rack frames arranged in a row, wherein the plurality of injection pipes pass through upper sides of the plurality of battery cells on the plurality of frames, and The plurality of nozzles are respectively located in the plurality of spray pipes to correspond one-to-one to the plurality of battery cells. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzle portions is directly above a safety vent of a corresponding one of the plurality of battery cells.

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