Battery activation process facility

Abstract

A battery activation process facility according to the present invention comprises: a plurality of charging / discharging devices for charging or discharging a battery cell; a container rack configured to enable the plurality of charging / discharging devices to be stacked in a multi-stage manner; the aisle is mounted at the uppermost end of the container frame and serves as a passage for workers to pass through; a bus duct positioned at a predetermined height from an uppermost end of the container rack; and a bus duct support unit mounted to the container rack or the aisle and supporting the bus duct.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery activation process facility, and more particularly, to a battery activation process facility that facilitates installation and maintenance of a catwalk and a busduct.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0009018, filed on January 19, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND

[0003] The production of a secondary battery is roughly divided into a 'front process' and a'rear process'. An electrode process of making electrode plates of a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and an assembly process of processing and assembling electrodes and raw materials to make a finished product, both belong to the front process, and an activation process of activating a battery polarity by alternately charging and discharging, and a life test of calculating the life, capacity, and efficiency of a battery belong to the rear process.

[0004] A battery immediately after the assembly process has only a form and can have no function at all. The battery undergoes an activation work of charging and discharging the battery to give it electrical properties, an aging work of waiting for a positive electrode material and a negative electrode material to be sufficiently impregnated with an electrolyte, and a degassing work of removing only internal gas, limited to a pouch-type battery, but if necessary, and then the battery has a battery performance. The internal resistance and open circuit voltage of the battery that has undergone the process are checked to give a final grade, and then the battery cell is shipped.

[0005] Meanwhile, a conventional battery activation process facility includes a charge-discharge device, a device housing capable of loading the charge-discharge device in a multi-stage manner, and a busduct for transmitting power from an external power system to the charge-discharge device.

[0006] As one example, the busduct is installed on the ceiling of a factory or warehouse in which the activation process facility is constructed. For example, the busduct is constructed by installing a support on the factory ceiling along the line of the busduct and suspending the busduct on the support.

[0007] However, as the battery activation process facility becomes larger, the weight of the busduct greatly increases, which can cause excessive load on the factory ceiling, making it impossible to work on the ceiling for safety reasons. In addition, there are problems such as difficulty in calculating the ceiling load before working on the ceiling, difficulty in wiring between the busduct and the charge-discharge device when the ceiling height of the factory is much higher than the uppermost end of the device housing, and difficulty in accessing the busduct and working on the busduct during maintenance due to the busduct being suspended high on the ceiling. SUMMARY

[0008] Technical Problem

[0009] The present disclosure is designed to solve the above problems, and thus aims to provide a battery activation process facility that does not need to construct a bus duct and a walkway on a ceiling of a factory or a building as conventionally done.

[0010] In addition, the present disclosure aims to provide a battery activation process facility that facilitates inspection and maintenance of a line of a bus duct and allows a job to be performed more safely than conventionally.

[0011] The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and other problems not mentioned herein can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the present disclosure.

[0012] Technical Solution

[0013] A battery activation process facility according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include a plurality of charge-discharge devices for charging and discharging battery cells, a container rack configured to load the plurality of charge-discharge devices in multiple stages, a walkway installed at an uppermost end of the container rack as a passage for workers to pass through, a bus duct positioned at a certain height from the uppermost end of the container rack, and a bus duct support unit installed on the container rack or the walkway and supporting the bus duct.

[0014] The container rack can be provided in multiple layers, and each layer can include a device accommodation portion accommodating the charge-discharge devices, and a passage portion allowing workers to pass through.

[0015] The device accommodation portion and the passage portion can continuously extend parallel to each other in a first direction, and the walkway and the bus duct can be installed above the device accommodation portion and above the passage portion of the container rack located in an uppermost layer, respectively.

[0016] The passage portion can include a pair of upper beam frames spaced apart in a second direction crossing the first direction and extending parallel to each other in the first direction, and the bus duct support unit can be fixedly coupled to the pair of upper beam frames at predetermined intervals along the pair of upper beam frames and can be provided to support the bus duct below the bus duct.

[0017] The bus duct support unit can include a first beam connecting portion and a second beam connecting portion detachably attached to one side and the other side of the pair of upper beam frames, respectively, a first vertical portion and a second vertical portion vertically extending from the first beam connecting portion and the second beam connecting portion, respectively, and a bus duct mounting portion connected to upper ends of the first vertical portion and the second vertical portion and disposed to allow the bus duct to be seated and mounted.

[0018] The bus duct can include an outer case having an internal space capable of accommodating a metal conductor, and a connecting beam disposed at both lower edge regions of the outer case in a width direction of the outer case, wherein the connecting beam can include mounting grooves disposed at predetermined intervals along an extension direction of the outer case and fitted onto the bus duct mounting portion.

[0019] The battery activation process facility can further include a plurality of distribution boxes coupled to the bus duct at predetermined intervals along an extension direction of the bus duct.

[0020] The walkway and the bus duct can be arranged adjacent to each other in a width direction of the container rack, and the plurality of distribution boxes can be attached to one surface of the bus duct facing the walkway.

[0021] The walkway can include a floor fixedly coupled to an uppermost end of the container rack, and first and second balustrade frames uprightly arranged at both edges in a width direction of the floor.

[0022] The bus duct can be fixedly coupled to an upper end of any one of the first and second balustrade frames.

[0023] The plurality of distribution boxes can be attached to an upper surface of the bus duct.

[0024] The bus duct can be arranged in a space above a floor of the walkway, and the bus duct support unit can include a first support unit having one side coupled to the first balustrade frame and the other side coupled to the bus duct, and a second support unit having one side coupled to the second balustrade frame and the other side coupled to the bus duct.

[0025] The plurality of distribution boxes can be attached to a lower surface of the bus duct.

[0026] Advantageous effects

[0027] According to the present disclosure, a battery activation process facility can be provided that does not require a bus duct to be constructed on a ceiling of a factory or a building as conventionally done.

[0028] Therefore, calculation of a ceiling load is not required when the bus duct is constructed, and since the walkway is provided together with the bus duct at the uppermost end of the container rack, it is easy to inspect and maintain the lines of the bus duct, and work can be performed more safely than conventionally.

[0029] Further, technical effects to be obtained by the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned herein can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery activation process facility to which a bus duct and a walkway are applied according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a battery activation process facility according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a battery activation process facility according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of a battery activation process facility according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 5 is a view showing Figure 4 a bus duct unit and a bus duct support unit are separated from each other.

[0035] Figure 6 is a view showing a construction of a bus duct support unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 7 is a view schematically showing a bus duct installation construction of a battery activation process facility according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 8 is a view schematically showing a bus duct installation construction of a battery activation process facility according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terms used in the present specification and the appended claims should not be construed as being limited to general and dictionary definitions but interpreted based on the meanings and concepts of the terms in accordance with the principle that the inventor is allowed to define appropriate terms in order to best describe the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments described and configurations illustrated in the present specification are merely the most preferred embodiments and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications thereto are possible within the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] In the drawings, the size of each component or a particular portion constituting the component is exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown for the sake of convenience and clarity of description. Therefore, the size of each component does not completely reflect the actual size. If it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations can unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, such a description will be omitted.

[0040] As used herein, the term "coupled" or "connected" means not only that one member is directly connected to another member, but also that one member is indirectly connected to another member through an intervening member.

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery activation process facility to which a bus duct and a walkway are applied according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a battery activation process facility according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a battery activation process facility according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 A battery activation process facility according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of charge-discharge devices 100, a container rack 200, a walkway 300, a bus duct 400, and a bus duct support unit 500.

[0043] The charge-discharge device 100 can be composed of a power supply unit 110, a clamp unit 120, and a housing accommodating the power supply unit 110 and the clamp unit 120.

[0044] Although not shown in detail for ease of drawing, the power supply unit 110 can include an AC / DC converter that receives AC power from an external power system and initially generates DC power, and a DC / DC converter that provides an accurate charging current to each battery cell from the DC power.

[0045] The clamp unit 120 can include a charge-discharge clamp (not shown) that receives power from the plurality of battery cells and the power supply unit 110 and applies a voltage or a current to the battery cells. The clamp unit 120 and the power supply unit 110 can be connected, for example, by a plurality of power cables (not shown).

[0046] The housing can have a box or frame structure capable of accommodating the clamp unit 120 and the power supply unit 110, and can be provided in a form that is easily stacked.

[0047] The container rack 200 refers to a structure for loading and storing a plurality of charge-discharge devices 100 in a multi-stage manner. For example, the container rack 200 can be provided in a substantially cuboid structure by assembling materials such as rack shelves, angle steels, rods, etc.

[0048] The container rack 200 can be provided in multiple layers. For reference, in order to move between the layers of the container rack 200, a staircase S1, S2 and a platform K2 can be provided at at least one end of the container rack 200.

[0049] The container rack 200 can include, on each layer, a device accommodation portion 210 that accommodates the charge-discharge device 100, and a passage portion 220 that allows a worker to pass through. For example, as shown in Figure 1 The container rack 200 according to the present embodiment can include a first container rack 200A, a second container rack 200B, and a third container rack 200C, which are sequentially stacked in a three-layer structure from the ground. A plurality of charge-discharge devices 100 can be loaded in the inner space of the container rack 200 in a multi-stage manner.

[0050] The container rack 200 can be provided with the device accommodation portion 210 and the passage portion 220 on each layer. The device accommodation portion 210 and the passage portion 220 can be configured to be adjacent to each other and to extend in parallel with each other in a first direction (Y direction). The charge-discharge device 100 is arranged in the device accommodation portion 210, and the passage portion serves as a space in which a worker can walk. Accordingly, the worker can easily access the charge-discharge device arranged in the device accommodation portion 210, and can inspect and maintain the charge-discharge device 100 if necessary.

[0051] A walkway 300 can be installed at the uppermost end of the container rack 200, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 The walkway 300 is a member that serves as a passage through which a worker can climb to the uppermost end of the container rack 200 and move safely.

[0052] As shown in Figure 4As shown, the walkway 300 includes a bottom plate 310 fixedly coupled to the uppermost end of the container rack 200, and first and second balustrade frames 320 and 330 respectively uprightly disposed at both edges in the width direction (X direction) of the bottom plate 310 and extendable along the length direction (Y direction) of the container rack 200.

[0053] The bus duct 400 refers to a component serving as a line for transmitting electric power from an external power system to the charging and discharging device 100. The bus duct 400 includes a housing 410 that accommodates a metal conductor (bus bar) for allowing current to flow in the inside thereof. The housing 410 can be provided in the shape of a pipe made of metal. The housing 410 can be manufactured in units of a predetermined length and then configured to be connected to each other.

[0054] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , the bus duct 400 can be installed at the uppermost end of the container rack 200 so as to be positioned at a certain height from the uppermost end of the container rack 200. The bus duct 400 can extend in the same direction (Y direction) as the extension direction of the container rack 200.

[0055] The bus duct support unit 500 is a device for positioning the bus duct 400 at a certain height from the uppermost end of the container rack 200. As Figure 4 shown, the bus duct support unit 500 is provided at a predetermined interval along the extension direction of the bus duct 400 and can be configured such that one side is installed on the container rack 200 and the other side supports the bus duct 400.

[0056] In the present embodiment, the walkway 300 and the bus duct 400 can be installed above the device housing portion 210 and above the passage portion 220 of the third layer container rack 200, which is the uppermost layer, respectively. In this case, the walkway 300 and the bus duct 400 can be disposed adjacent to each other in the width direction of the container rack 200.

[0057] Hereinafter, an installation example of the bus duct support unit 500 and the bus duct 400 according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail mainly with reference to Figure 1 , Figures 4 to 6 .

[0058] The passage portion 220 of the container rack 200 according to the present embodiment includes a pair of upper beam frames 221 spaced apart along a second direction (X direction) crossing the first direction (Y direction) and extending parallel to each other along the first direction (Y direction), as Figure 5 shown.

[0059] The bus duct support unit 500 can be fixedly coupled to the pair of upper beam frames 221 at predetermined intervals along the pair of upper beam frames 221, and can be provided to support the bus duct 400 below the bus duct 400.

[0060] For example, as shown in Figure 6 , the bus duct support unit 500 can include first and second beam connecting portions 510 and 520 detachably attached to one side and the other side of the pair of upper beam frames 221, respectively, first and second vertical portions 530 and 540 vertically extending from the first and second beam connecting portions 510 and 520, respectively, and a bus duct mounting portion 550 connected to upper ends of the first and second vertical portions 530 and 540 and provided to allow the bus duct 400 to be seated and mounted. The bus duct support unit 500 can be preferably made of a metal material having high rigidity to stably support the heavy bus duct 400.

[0061] The first and second beam connecting portions 510 and 520 can be provided to surround the outer periphery of the upper beam frames 221. The first and second beam connecting portions 510 and 520 can be fixedly coupled to the upper beam frames 221 by coupling members, such as bolts (not shown).

[0062] Although not shown, the first and second vertical portions 530 and 540 can be configured to be height-adjustable so that the height of the bus duct 400 can be appropriately changed. The first and second beam connecting portions 510 and 520, the first and second vertical portions 530 and 540, and the bus duct mounting portion 550 can be integrally formed or configured to be assembled with each other.

[0063] The bus duct 400 according to the present embodiment can further include a connecting beam 420 to be stably seated on the bus duct mounting portion 550. In particular, referring to Figure 5 , the connecting beam 420 can be provided at both lower edge regions of the housing 410 in the width direction of the housing 410. Also, the connecting beam 420 can include mounting grooves 421 provided at predetermined intervals along the extension direction of the housing 410 and fitted onto the bus duct mounting portion 550.

[0064] According to the configuration of the present embodiment described above, in a state in which the mounting grooves 421 are fitted onto the bus duct mounting portion 550 and supported by the bus duct support unit 500, the bus duct 400 can be positioned at a certain height from the uppermost end of the container rack 200.

[0065] Meanwhile, the battery activation process facility according to the present embodiment can further include a plurality of distribution boxes 600 coupled to the bus duct 400 at predetermined intervals along an extension direction of the bus duct 400. The distribution box 600 can refer to a device that distributes power received through the bus duct 400.

[0066] The distribution box 600 can include a main breaker, a plurality of bus bars, branch breakers, etc., in its interior, and can be electrically connected to the bus bars inside the bus duct 400, for example, in which current first flows to the main breaker. Although not shown in detail, the distribution box 600 can include a connection terminal protruding outward, and the connection terminal can be provided to be connected to the bus duct 400 in a plug-in manner. In addition, the distribution box 600 and the power supply unit 110 of the charge and discharge device 100 can be connected by a power cable (not shown) or the like.

[0067] Reference Figure 4 , the bus duct 400 is disposed adjacent to the walkway 300 in the width direction of the container frame 200. The plurality of distribution boxes 600 can be attached to one surface of the bus duct 400. Here, the "one surface of the bus duct 400" is a surface facing the walkway 300. In this case, a worker can easily perform a line inspection of the interior of the bus duct 400, and an inspection or replacement of a power cable connecting the distribution box 600 and the charge and discharge device 100 on the walkway 300.

[0068] Next, referring to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , a battery activation process facility according to other embodiments of the present disclosure will be briefly described. The same component numbers as those of the above-described embodiments denote the same components, and repeated descriptions of the same components will be omitted, and differences from the above-described embodiments will be mainly described.

[0069] Figure 7 is a view schematically showing a bus duct 400 installation configuration of a battery activation process facility according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] First, referring to Figure 7 , compared to the above-described embodiments, the battery activation process facility according to another embodiment of the present disclosure can be configured such that the bus duct 400 is fixed to an upper end of any one of the first rail frame 320 and the second rail frame 330 of the walkway 300. That is, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, one of the first rail frame 320 and the second rail frame 330 serves as a bus duct support unit 500.

[0071] For example, the bus duct 400 can be installed on the upper end of the second railing frame 330 of the walkway 300. Although it is schematically shown for convenience of drawing, a structure inserted and coupled to the upper end of the second railing frame 330 can be applied to the lower surface of the bus duct 400, or a bracket or the like can be additionally installed on the upper end of the second railing frame 330, and the bus duct 400 and the bracket can be bolt-coupled together so that the bus duct 400 can be more stably fixed to the upper end of the second railing frame 330.

[0072] In another embodiment of the disclosure, the plurality of distribution boxes 600 can be attached to the upper surface of the bus duct 400 so that the distribution boxes 600 do not interfere with the workers when the workers pass through the walkway 300.

[0073] According to the embodiment as Figure 7 shown, compared to the above-described embodiments, the configuration of the bus duct support unit 500 can be simplified, and the distance between the walkway 300 and the bus duct 400 can be made closer. Accordingly, the workers can more easily maintain and replace the bus duct 400 or the distribution boxes 600 on the walkway 300.

[0074] Figure 8 is a view schematically showing a bus duct 400 installation configuration of a battery activation process facility according to still another embodiment of the disclosure.

[0075] Referring to Figure 8 , the battery activation process facility according to still another embodiment of the disclosure can be configured so that, when compared to the above-described embodiments, the bus duct 400 is disposed in the upper space of the walkway 300. Preferably, the bus duct 400 can be disposed in the vertical upper space of the floor 310 of the walkway 300. In order to facilitate access by the workers, the bus duct 400 can be preferably configured to be positioned about 10 cm to 30 cm higher than the average height of an adult on the floor 310 of the walkway 300.

[0076] To this end, the bus duct support unit 500A according to still another embodiment of the disclosure can include a first support unit 560 having one side coupled to the first railing frame 320 and the other side coupled to the bus duct 400, and a second support unit 570 having one side coupled to the second railing frame 330 and the other side coupled to the bus duct 400. The first support unit 560 and the second support unit 570 can be configured as, for example, beams made of metal, and can be configured to be coupled to the upper end of the first railing frame 320 and the upper end of the second railing frame 330, respectively, by welding, and to the bus duct 400 by bolting or the like.

[0077] Meanwhile, any mechanical coupling structure can be employed as long as the first and second support units 560 and 570 support the bus duct 400 and are fixedly coupled to the first and second railing frames 320 and 330.

[0078] In still another embodiment of the disclosure, the plurality of distribution boxes 600 can be attached to a lower surface of the bus duct 400.

[0079] According to the embodiment as shown in FIG. 6, compared to the first embodiment described above, the configuration of the bus duct support unit 500B can be simplified, and the distance between the walkway 300 and the bus duct 400 can be made closer. Thus, a worker can more easily maintain and replace the bus duct 400 or the distribution box 600 on the walkway 300. In addition, compared to the second embodiment described above, the bus duct 400 can be more stably supported. Figure 8

[0080] As described above, according to the battery activation process facility according to the disclosure, the loss conventionally caused by configuring the bus duct on the ceiling of a factory or a building can be eliminated. In addition, the battery activation process facility according to the disclosure provides the walkway together with the bus duct at the uppermost end of the container rack, so that a worker can easily inspect and maintain the wiring of the bus duct and perform a job more safely than conventionally.

[0081] The disclosure has been described above with respect to a limited number of embodiments and drawings, but the disclosure is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains can make various modifications and changes to the disclosure within the scope of the technical idea of the disclosure and the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

[0082] Meanwhile, the terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear used herein are used only for convenience of description, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the terms can vary depending on the position of an observer or a reference object.​

Claims

1.A battery activation process facility comprising: a plurality of charge-discharge devices for charging and discharging battery cells; a container rack configured to load the plurality of charge-discharge devices in a multi-stage manner; a walkway installed at an uppermost end of the container rack as a passage for workers to pass through; a bus duct positioned at a certain height from the uppermost end of the container rack; and a bus duct support unit installed on the container rack or the walkway and supporting the bus duct. 2.The battery activation process facility according to claim 1, wherein the container rack is provided in multiple layers, and each layer includes a device housing portion that houses the charge-discharge devices, and a passage portion that allows the workers to pass through. 3.The battery activation process facility according to claim 2, wherein the device housing portion and the passage portion continuously extend parallel to each other in a first direction, and the walkway and the bus duct are respectively installed above the device housing portion and the passage portion of the container rack located in the uppermost layer. 4.The battery activation process facility according to claim 3, wherein the passage portion includes a pair of upper beam frames spaced apart along a second direction intersecting the first direction and extending parallel to each other in the first direction, and the bus duct support unit is fixedly coupled to the pair of upper beam frames at a predetermined interval along the pair of upper beam frames and is provided to support the bus duct below the bus duct. 5.The battery activation process facility according to claim 4, wherein, the bus duct support unit includes: first and second beam connection portions that are detachably attached to one side and the other side of the pair of upper beam frames, respectively; first and second vertical portions that vertically extend from the first and second beam connection portions, respectively; and a bus duct mounting portion connected to upper ends of the first and second vertical portions and provided to allow the bus duct to be disposed and mounted. 6.The battery activation process facility according to claim 5, wherein the bus duct includes: a housing having an internal space capable of accommodating a metal conductor; and a connection beam provided at both lower edge regions of the housing in a width direction of the housing, wherein the connection beam includes a mounting groove provided at a predetermined interval along an extension direction of the housing and fitted onto the bus duct mounting portion. 7.The battery activation process facility according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of distribution boxes coupled to the bus duct at a predetermined interval along an extension direction of the bus duct. 8.The battery activation process facility according to claim 7, wherein the walkway and the bus duct are arranged adjacent to each other in a width direction of the container rack, the plurality of distribution boxes are attached to one surface of the bus duct facing the walkway. 9.The battery activation process facility of claim 7, wherein, the walkway comprises: a bottom plate fixedly coupled to an uppermost end of the container rack; and first and second rail frames respectively uprightly disposed at both edges in a width direction of the bottom plate. 10.The battery activation process facility of claim 9, wherein the bus duct is fixedly coupled to an upper end of either one of the first and second rail frames. 11.The battery activation process facility of claim 10, wherein, the plurality of distribution boxes are attached to an upper surface of the bus duct. 12.The battery activation process facility of claim 9, wherein the bus duct is disposed in a space above the bottom plate of the walkway, and the bus duct support unit comprises: a first support unit having one side coupled to the first rail frame and the other side coupled to the bus duct; and a second support unit having one side coupled to the second rail frame and the other side coupled to the bus duct. 13.The battery activation process facility of claim 12, wherein the plurality of distribution boxes are attached to a lower surface of the bus duct.

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