Hybrid split type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire extinguishing system and control method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of lithium battery manufacturing, in particular to a hybrid split type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire extinguishing system and a control method, and the system comprises a detection module which comprises a Pack-level detector arranged in each Pack in an energy storage integrated cabinet and a cabinet-level detector arranged in the internal space of the energy storage integrated cabinet; the control unit is electrically connected with the detection module and used for receiving detection signals of the Pack-level detector and the cabinet-level detector and judging the fire level and position according to preset logic; and the execution module is electrically connected with the control unit. According to the invention, through constructing a'Pack-level aerosol + cabinet-level aerosol + liquid cooling water spray 'triple protection framework and intelligent linkage control logic, the whole process and three-dimensional accurate prevention and control of the fire hazard of the energy storage cabinet from the germination and spreading to the reburning risk are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of lithium battery technology, specifically relating to a hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system and control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the popularization of renewable energy and the increasing demand for power system flexibility, the application scale of electrochemical energy storage in industrial and commercial fields continues to expand. Among them, lithium battery energy storage systems have become the mainstream technology due to their advantages such as high energy density and long cycle life. However, lithium batteries are prone to thermal runaway under conditions such as overcharging, internal short circuits, and mechanical abuse, which can lead to fires or even explosions. Fire safety has become one of the key challenges restricting the large-scale development of the industry. The thermal runaway process is characterized by rapid ignition, release of large amounts of flammable gases (such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide), accompanied by a sharp temperature rise, and a high risk of reignition due to residual high temperatures after extinguishing. This places extremely high demands on the response speed, suppression effectiveness, and continuous cooling capacity of fire protection systems.

[0003] For commercial and industrial energy storage containers, existing fire protection solutions mainly revolve around total flooding fire suppression systems at the container (or compartment) level. Early solutions often used clean gaseous extinguishing agents such as heptafluoropropane and perfluorohexanone, which were deployed on the top or side walls of the container to uniformly spray the entire enclosed space after a detector alarm was triggered, thus suffocating the flames and inhibiting chain reactions. Subsequently, aerosol fire suppression technology was adopted due to its advantages such as high extinguishing efficiency, no need for pressure vessels, and simple maintenance. A typical solution involves centrally deploying several aerosol fire suppression devices on the top of the energy storage container, which are triggered by smoke and temperature sensors to implement total flooding fire suppression.

[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technical solutions have obvious limitations: 1. The installation location of cabinet-level detectors means that they can usually only trigger an alarm when the smoke, heat or flame generated by thermal runaway spreads to the upper level of the cabinet space. They cannot intervene in the early stages of thermal runaway within a single battery module (Pack), thus missing the best opportunity for suppression.

[0005] 2. Regardless of the initial location and size of the fire, existing solutions mostly activate the entire cabinet-level fire suppression system. For localized, initial fires inside the cabinet, this "one-size-fits-all" approach may result in insufficient effective concentration of extinguishing agent inside the target cabinet, while in non-fire areas, it wastes resources and may also lead to the overall extinguishing agent concentration failing to meet standards due to cabinet depressurization or leakage.

[0006] 3. The main mechanism of action of aerosols and some gaseous fire extinguishing agents is chemical inhibition, and their physical cooling effect is relatively weak. For batteries that have already experienced severe thermal runaway, the internal chemical reactions may continue to release heat, and the surface and core temperatures are extremely high. After simple chemical inhibition, the high temperature can easily ignite residual combustibles or cause thermal runaway to spread to adjacent batteries, posing a high risk of reignition.

[0007] 4. Most solutions rely on a single type or level of firefighting method. If the initial firefighting attempt fails to be fully effective, the system lacks effective follow-up measures with different mechanisms, making it inadequate in dealing with large-scale, deep-seated fires, and resulting in low overall safety redundancy.

[0008] A search revealed that patent CN115253344A (A Fire Suppression System for Battery Compartments of an Energy Storage Power Station) represents a similar prior art. This solution employs aerosol fire suppression within the battery compartment and considers ventilation and secondary fire suppression. However, its aerosol device is primarily positioned at the compartment level, failing to penetrate into each pack for early and precise suppression. Furthermore, the secondary fire suppression mentioned typically relies on external, independent fire-fighting facilities, failing to achieve deep integration and functional reuse with the energy storage system's own thermal management system. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of structural compactness, direct response, and resource utilization efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system and control method, which solves the shortcomings of existing industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection technology in terms of rapid early suppression, accurate graded response, deep and continuous cooling and system redundancy design.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides a hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system, comprising: The detection module includes a Pack-level detector installed inside each battery module (Pack) within the integrated energy storage cabinet, and a Cabinet-level detector installed in the internal space of the integrated energy storage cabinet. The control unit, electrically connected to the detection module, is used to receive detection signals from the Pack-level detector and the cabinet-level detector, and to determine the fire level and location according to preset logic. An execution module, electrically connected to the control unit, includes: Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing devices are provided inside each of the battery modules (Pack); A cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device is installed inside the energy storage cabinet. The liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem includes a backup water tank, a liquid cooling unit, and a spray device installed in the liquid cooling plate circuit of each battery module (Pack); the liquid cooling unit is connected to the backup water tank and each of the spray devices through pipelines, and the control unit can control the liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem to switch between heat dissipation mode and fire spray mode.

[0011] Preferably, the Pack-level detector includes a temperature sensor and / or a volatile organic compound (VOC) gas sensor; the cabinet-level detector includes one or more of a smoke sensor, a temperature sensor, and / or a flame detector.

[0012] Preferably, the spraying device is a nozzle or spraying pipeline connected in series or in parallel to the liquid cooling plate circuit.

[0013] Preferably, the control unit has a built-in intelligent algorithm for executing the following hierarchical response logic: When the detection data of any of the Pack-level detectors exceeds the first threshold, it is determined to be a Level 1 fire, and the Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device in the corresponding battery module (Pack) is activated. If any of the following conditions are met: the detection data of the same or adjacent battery modules (Pack) exceeds the second threshold after the Pack-level aerosol is activated, more than a set number of Pack-level detectors alarm simultaneously, or the cabinet-level detector alarms, then it is determined to be a level two fire and the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device is activated. If the temperature data of the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device still exceeds the third threshold after the cabinet-level detector is activated, it is determined to be a level three fire, and the liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem is controlled to switch to fire sprinkler mode.

[0014] This invention also discloses a hybrid split-type fire control method based on the system, comprising the following steps: Real-time monitoring steps: Continuously collect fire characteristic signals at various locations within the integrated energy storage cabinet using the Pack-level detector and the cabinet-level detector; Fire situation assessment and graded response steps: The control unit determines the fire level according to the received signal and preset logic, and executes the corresponding fire extinguishing action; The graded response step includes: If it is determined that there is an early fire inside a single battery module (Pack), then the Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device inside that battery module (Pack) is activated. If it is determined that the fire has spread or is a cabinet-level fire, then the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device shall be activated. If, after activating the cabinet-level aerosol fire suppression system, it is determined that the fire is out of control or there is a risk of reignition, then the liquid-cooled fire suppression subsystem is controlled to activate water spray fire suppression.

[0015] Preferably, the condition for "judging as an early fire inside a single battery module (Pack)" is that the detection data of any of the Pack-level detectors exceeds a first threshold.

[0016] Preferably, the condition for "judging that the fire has spread or is a cabinet-level fire" is any one of the following: Condition A: After the Pack-level aerosol fire suppression device is activated, the detection data of the same or adjacent battery modules (Packs) continues to rise and exceeds the second threshold. Condition B: More than the set number of the Pack-level detectors simultaneously trigger an alarm; Condition C: The cabinet-level detector detects open flame, dense smoke, or high temperature.

[0017] Preferably, the condition for "determining that the fire is not under control or has a risk of reignition" is: after the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device is activated, the temperature data of the cabinet-level detector still does not decrease or continues to rise above the third threshold.

[0018] Preferably, the step of controlling the liquid-cooled fire suppression subsystem to start water spraying for fire extinguishing specifically includes: the control unit sending instructions to the liquid-cooled unit and pipeline valves to stop the liquid-cooled unit from cooling circulation and switch to drawing water from the backup water tank and pumping it into each of the spraying devices for spraying.

[0019] Preferably, the fire-fighting medium stored in the backup water tank is pure water or flame-retardant liquid.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By constructing a triple protection architecture of "Pack-level aerosol + Cabinet-level aerosol + liquid-cooled water spray" and intelligent linkage control logic, this invention achieves comprehensive and precise prevention and control of the entire process of energy storage cabinet fires, from their initial ignition and spread to reignition risk; the small aerosol fire extinguishers inside the Pack can achieve rapid and precise suppression in the confined space at the earliest stage of thermal runaway, significantly improving the initial response speed; the intelligent control unit based on multi-source detection signals can automatically decide to activate the optimal combination of fire extinguishing units according to the location and scale of the fire, avoiding the problem of delayed or excessive response of a single system and optimizing the allocation of fire-fighting resources; in particular, it innovatively reuses the original liquid cooling heat dissipation system as a backup water spray fire-fighting system, which can provide continuous and wide-range physical cooling after the aerosol extinguishes the open flame, effectively eliminating the deep high temperature of the battery, fundamentally preventing reignition and thermal spread, and significantly improving the safety redundancy and reliability of the entire energy storage system. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system of the present invention; Figure 2This is a logic flowchart of the hybrid split-type fire control method of the present invention.

[0022] In the picture: 1. Pack-level detector; 2. Cabinet-level detector; 3. Control unit; 4. Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device; 5. Cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device; 6. Backup water tank; 7. Liquid-cooled unit; 8. Nozzle; 9. Piping; 10. Integrated energy storage cabinet; 11. Battery module (Pack); 12. Liquid-cooled plate; 13. Water tank; 14. Solenoid valve; 15. Liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that the following embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the system mainly includes a detection module, a control unit, and an execution module. The detection module includes a pack-level detector 1 installed inside each battery module (Pack) 11, which may be a high-sensitivity temperature sensor and a VOC gas sensor, to directly sense the temperature rise and characteristic gases generated in the early stage of battery thermal runaway; and a cabinet-level detector 2 installed inside the energy storage cabinet 10, which may be a combination of smoke sensors, temperature sensors, and flame detectors, to monitor the overall environment of the cabinet.

[0025] The control unit 3, as the core of the system, can receive real-time signals from all Pack-level detectors 1 and cabinet-level detectors 2 via the communication bus. The execution module includes: a Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device 4 installed inside each battery module (Pack) 11, which is a miniaturized, low-dose aerosol generator; a cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device 5 installed in the central area of ​​the top of the cabinet 10, with a dose sufficient to achieve total flooding fire extinguishing of the entire cabinet space; and a liquid-cooled fire suppression subsystem 15, which includes an independent backup water tank 6, a liquid cooling unit 7, and a water tank 13, which stores pure water or liquid with added flame retardant; the liquid cooling unit 7 provides cooling circulation for the liquid cooling plates 12 of the battery Pack during normal operation; a miniature solenoid valve-controlled nozzle 8 is connected in series on the inlet and outlet water pipes of the liquid cooling plate 12 of each Pack to form a spraying device; the backup water tank 6, the liquid cooling unit 7, and each nozzle 8 are connected through pipes 9. The control unit 3 is electrically connected to each Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device 4, each Cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device 5, each liquid-cooled unit 7, and each pipeline valve via control lines.

[0026] Figure 2A flowchart of the fire control logic of this invention is shown. (In conjunction with...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The system works as follows: Step S1: System initialization and real-time monitoring.

[0027] After the system is powered on, the control unit 3 enters the working state and continuously collects data from all Pack-level detectors 1 and cabinet-level detectors 2.

[0028] Step S2: Level 1 response (Pack-level aerosol initiation).

[0029] The control unit 3 compares the data from each Pack-level detector 1 with a preset first threshold Th1. When the detector data in a Pack 11 exceeds Th1, the control unit 3 determines that the Pack is experiencing early signs of thermal runaway and immediately sends an activation command to the Pack-level aerosol fire suppression device 4 inside the Pack. The device 4 rapidly releases aerosol to implement early chemical suppression within its confined space. Simultaneously, the control unit 3 can send a Level 1 alarm signal to the host computer or monitoring center.

[0030] Step S3: Level 2 response (cabinet-level aerosol activation).

[0031] Control unit 3 determines that the fire has developed or expanded into a cabinet-level fire when any of the following conditions are met: Condition A (Spread Judgment): After the corresponding Pack-level aerosol is activated, the detector data of the Pack or adjacent Pack does not decrease within a set time, but continues to rise and exceeds the higher second threshold Th2.

[0032] Condition B (Multi-point judgment): Detectors 1 from different packs alarm simultaneously, exceeding the set number.

[0033] Condition C (cabinet-level judgment): Any cabinet-level detector 2 detects an open flame, dense smoke, or a temperature exceeding its alarm threshold.

[0034] Once any of the above conditions are met, the control unit 3 immediately activates the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device 5 to carry out total flooding fire extinguishing of the entire internal space of the energy storage cabinet 10 in order to control the fire that may have spread.

[0035] Step S4: Level 3 response (liquid-cooled water spray start-up).

[0036] After the cabinet-level aerosol is activated, the control unit 3 continuously monitors the data from the cabinet-level temperature sensors. If, after a preset time period, the highest temperature data inside the cabinet does not decrease or continues to rise above the third threshold Th3, it indicates that the fire has not been completely extinguished or there is a serious risk of reignition and heat spread. At this time, the control unit 3 executes a three-level response: it issues a switching command to the liquid cooling unit 7 and the corresponding solenoid valve 14. The liquid cooling unit 7 stops its original coolant circulation and instead draws de-flammable water from the backup water tank 6, pressurizes it, and pumps it into the original liquid cooling pipeline 9. The high-pressure water flows through the nozzles 8 connected in series on the liquid cooling plate circuit and sprays out to provide large-scale, continuous spray cooling and fire extinguishing for the battery pack 11 below. This spray mode can continue until it is manually stopped or all detector data returns to below the safe range.

[0037] Among them, the first threshold Th1, the second threshold Th2, and the third threshold Th3 are temperature values, VOC concentration values, or smoke concentration values.

[0038] Through the aforementioned three-level linkage control, this invention achieves closed-loop management of the entire process of battery thermal runaway, from early suppression at a single point, to local propagation control, and finally to overall deep cooling to prevent reignition. Pack-level aerosols enable precise and rapid response, cabinet-level aerosols solve the problem of large-area coverage, and the liquid-cooled water spray system provides the ultimate guarantee of continuous deep cooling. The organic combination of these three significantly improves the fire safety level and reliability of the energy storage system. This solution is particularly suitable for medium and large-sized industrial and commercial integrated energy storage cabinets that adopt liquid cooling, realizing the functional reuse and efficient integration of the heat dissipation system and the fire protection system.

[0039] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system, characterized in that, include: The detection module includes a Pack-level detector installed inside each battery module (Pack) within the integrated energy storage cabinet, and a Cabinet-level detector installed in the internal space of the integrated energy storage cabinet. The control unit, electrically connected to the detection module, is used to receive detection signals from the Pack-level detector and the cabinet-level detector, and to determine the fire level and location according to preset logic. An execution module, electrically connected to the control unit, includes: Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing devices are provided inside each of the battery modules (Pack); A cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device is installed inside the energy storage cabinet. The liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem includes a backup water tank, a liquid cooling unit, and a spray device installed in the liquid cooling plate circuit of each battery module (Pack); the liquid cooling unit is connected to the backup water tank and each of the spray devices through pipelines, and the control unit can control the liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem to switch between heat dissipation mode and fire spray mode.

2. The hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Pack-level detector includes a temperature sensor and / or a volatile organic compound (VOC) gas sensor; the Cabinet-level detector includes one or more of a smoke sensor, a temperature sensor, and / or a flame detector.

3. The hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spraying device is a nozzle or spraying pipeline connected in series or in parallel to the liquid cooling plate circuit.

4. The hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit has a built-in intelligent algorithm for executing the following hierarchical response logic: When the detection data of any of the Pack-level detectors exceeds the first threshold, it is determined to be a Level 1 fire, and the Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device in the corresponding battery module (Pack) is activated. If any of the following conditions are met: the detection data of the same or adjacent battery modules (Pack) exceeds the second threshold after the Pack-level aerosol is activated, more than a set number of Pack-level detectors alarm simultaneously, or the cabinet-level detector alarms, then it is determined to be a level two fire and the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device is activated. If the temperature data of the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device still exceeds the third threshold after the cabinet-level detector is activated, it is determined to be a level three fire, and the liquid-cooled fire protection subsystem is controlled to switch to fire sprinkler mode.

5. A hybrid split-type fire control method based on the system described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Real-time monitoring steps: Continuously collect fire characteristic signals at various locations within the integrated energy storage cabinet using the Pack-level detector and the cabinet-level detector; Fire situation assessment and graded response steps: The control unit determines the fire level according to the received signal and preset logic, and executes the corresponding fire extinguishing action; The graded response step includes: If it is determined that there is an early fire inside a single battery module (Pack), then the Pack-level aerosol fire extinguishing device inside that battery module (Pack) is activated. If it is determined that the fire has spread or is a cabinet-level fire, then the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device shall be activated. If, after activating the cabinet-level aerosol fire suppression system, it is determined that the fire is out of control or there is a risk of reignition, then the liquid-cooled fire suppression subsystem is controlled to activate water spray fire suppression.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The condition for "judging it as an early fire inside a single battery module (Pack)" is that the detection data of any of the Pack-level detectors exceeds a first threshold.

7. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The condition for "judging that the fire has spread or is a cabinet-level fire" is any of the following: Condition A: After the Pack-level aerosol fire suppression device is activated, the detection data of the same or adjacent battery modules (Packs) continues to rise and exceeds the second threshold. Condition B: More than the set number of the Pack-level detectors simultaneously trigger an alarm; Condition C: The cabinet-level detector detects open flame, dense smoke, or high temperature.

8. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The condition for "determining that the fire is not under control or has a risk of reignition" is: after the cabinet-level aerosol fire extinguishing device is activated, the temperature data of the cabinet-level detector still does not decrease or continues to rise above the third threshold.

9. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The specific steps of controlling the liquid-cooled fire suppression subsystem to start water spraying include: the control unit sending instructions to the liquid-cooled unit and pipeline valves to stop the liquid-cooled unit from cooling circulation and switch to drawing water from the backup water tank and pumping it into each of the spraying devices for spraying.

10. The hybrid split-type industrial and commercial energy storage integrated cabinet fire protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fire-fighting medium stored in the backup water tank is either pure water or flame-retardant liquid.

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