Fire control structure, fire control method and medium for energy storage system
By introducing active depressurization and forced ventilation mechanisms into the energy storage system, thermal runaway parameters are detected in real time and active depressurization and ventilation are implemented. This solves the safety problem caused by passive response in existing technologies, realizes early intervention and rapid exhaust cooling, and improves the safety of the energy storage system.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
Smart Images

Figure CN122291852A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of energy storage systems, in particular to a fire-fighting structure for an energy storage system, a fire-fighting control method and a medium. BACKGROUND
[0002] In recent years, with the rapid popularization of energy storage systems (such as photovoltaic energy storage, industrial and commercial energy storage, and household energy storage systems), the safety of energy storage systems has become the focus of the industry. Energy storage systems generally use lithium-ion batteries as energy storage units, although they have high energy density and long cycle life, but under extreme conditions such as overcharging, short circuit, extrusion, puncture, and external high temperature, the battery cells are prone to thermal runaway, which can cause high-temperature combustion, gas injection, and even explosion and other serious accidents.
[0003] However, the existing energy storage fire-fighting technology is mostly passive response. For example, the trigger signal of the aerosol or perfluorohexone fire extinguishing system usually comes from a smoke sensor or a high-temperature alarm, which must be started when the battery cells have already burned or the gas is released, at which time the thermal runaway reaction has already been irreversible and it is difficult to prevent the accident from expanding. The mechanical passive pressure relief valve only opens when the cabin pressure exceeds the set value, that is, when the pressure in the energy storage system cabin reaches a certain pressure value, the pressure relief valve is pushed open by the cabin pressure, and the pressure relief valve starts to relieve pressure, which is a passive response structure. If thermal runaway causes rapid pressure rise, the pressure relief valve will act only after a large amount of gas accumulates, which may still cause an explosion due to the high concentration of flammable gas. Therefore, the pressure relief action of the existing technology is delayed, which causes the cabin pressure and flammable gas concentration to increase dramatically in a short period of time, reducing safety.
[0004] Therefore, the existing technology has defects and needs to be improved and developed. SUMMARY
[0005] The present application provides a fire-fighting structure for an energy storage system, a fire-fighting control method and a medium to solve the technical problem of delayed pressure relief action in the related art, which causes the cabin pressure and flammable gas concentration to increase dramatically in a short period of time, reducing safety.
[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the following technical solutions are adopted in the present application: A fire-fighting structure for an energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage shell having an energy storage cabin for accommodating a plurality of battery cells; a thermal runaway detection assembly arranged in the energy storage cabin and configured to detect a plurality of thermal runaway parameters; A first active pressure relief mechanism is installed on the energy storage housing. The first active pressure relief mechanism has a first pressure relief channel and an airflow driving component. The first pressure relief channel is configured to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air when the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state. The airflow driving component is configured to drive the gas in the energy storage chamber to exchange gases with the outside air when the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state. A second active pressure relief mechanism is installed on the energy storage housing. The second active pressure relief mechanism has a second pressure relief channel, which is configured to connect the energy storage chamber to the outside air when the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state.
[0007] In one embodiment of this application, the first active pressure relief mechanism further includes: A ventilation duct is installed inside the energy storage compartment, and the airflow drive component is installed in the ventilation duct; A first valve body drive is disposed in the ventilation duct, and the first valve body drive has a first drive shaft; A first pressure relief valve is disposed on the energy storage housing, a first pressure relief channel is formed in the first pressure relief valve, and the first pressure relief valve has a first inner core. When the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the first valve body drive unit uses the first drive shaft to drive the first inner core to move, so that the first pressure relief valve is in a pressure relief state, and the airflow drive unit opens simultaneously, so that the gas in the energy storage chamber can exchange gas with the outside air.
[0008] In one embodiment of this application, the second active pressure relief mechanism further includes: The second valve body drive is fixed to the energy storage housing, and the second valve body drive has a second drive shaft; A second pressure relief valve is disposed on the energy storage housing, a second pressure relief channel is formed in the second pressure relief valve, and the second pressure relief valve has a second inner core. When the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the second valve body drive uses the second drive shaft to drive the second inner core to move, so that the second pressure relief valve is in a pressure relief state, and the energy storage chamber is connected to the outside air.
[0009] In one embodiment of this application, the airflow drive is configured as a fan, which is used to draw gas from the energy storage chamber, so as to introduce outside air into the energy storage chamber through the second active pressure relief mechanism, and discharge the gas in the energy storage chamber to the outside through the first pressure relief mechanism, thereby forming a continuous directional airflow in the energy storage chamber.
[0010] This application also provides a fire control method based on the fire protection structure for an energy storage system as described above, wherein the method includes: Acquire several thermal runaway parameters detected by the thermal runaway detection component; The current state of the battery cell is determined based on the aforementioned thermal runaway parameters; If the battery cell is in a state of thermal runaway, the first pressure relief channel in the first active pressure relief mechanism and the second pressure relief channel in the second active pressure relief mechanism are opened to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. At the same time, the airflow drive is controlled to drive the gas in the energy storage chamber to exchange gases with the outside air.
[0011] In one embodiment of this application, determining the current state of the battery cell based on each of the thermal runaway parameters includes: Based on preset judgment rules and various thermal runaway parameters, the current thermal runaway risk level is determined; If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 1, then the current state of the cell is determined to be a preliminary abnormal state, the abnormal data in the thermal runaway parameters is recorded, and a data attention prompt is sent to the host computer. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 2, the current state of the cell is determined to be an intermediate abnormal state, a pre-trigger signal is generated, and the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive are controlled to enter the standby state. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 3, then the current state of the battery cell is determined to be a thermal runaway state.
[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the thermal runaway parameters include: the temperature, voltage and current of each cell, the concentration and pressure of combustible gas in the energy storage chamber, and acoustic emission data; The preset determination rules include: If at least one thermal runaway parameter exceeds the preset first standard range, the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 1. If at least one of the preset combination parameters obtained based on thermal runaway parameters exceeds the preset second standard range, then the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 2. If the thermal runaway parameters meet at least one preset thermal runaway condition, the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 3.
[0013] In one embodiment of this application, if the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the first pressure relief channel in the first active pressure relief mechanism and the second pressure relief channel in the second active pressure relief mechanism are opened to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. Simultaneously, after controlling the airflow drive to exchange gas between the gas in the energy storage chamber and the outside air, the method further includes: Based on thermal runaway parameters, a preset variable frequency control strategy is used to adjust the rotational speed of the airflow drive component in real time.
[0014] In one embodiment of this application, the fire control method further includes: Record each thermal runaway parameter and the corresponding time, and report it to the battery management system or remote monitoring platform through the communication interface; Once the fault is cleared, a reset command is issued to shut down the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive component.
[0015] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that can be executed to implement the steps of the fire control method described above.
[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The method of the present invention, through the first active pressure relief mechanism and the second active pressure relief mechanism, can actively connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. At the same time, under the drive of the airflow driving component, the gas in the energy storage chamber exchanges with the outside air, and quickly discharges the combustible gas and high-temperature air generated by thermal runaway. This achieves active exhaust and cooling, prevents the formation of high-concentration combustible gas mixture in the energy storage chamber, and avoids the risk of combustion and explosion. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the fire protection structure used in the energy storage system of this invention. The arrows indicate the direction of airflow.
[0018] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the cover plate portion of the fire protection structure used in the energy storage system of the present invention, which conceals the energy storage shell.
[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the fire protection structure for the energy storage system in this invention after concealing the energy storage shell.
[0020] Figure 4 This is a front view of the cover plate portion of the fire protection structure for the energy storage system in this invention, which conceals the energy storage shell.
[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first pressure relief valve of the first active pressure relief mechanism in the present invention being in the closed state.
[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first pressure relief valve of the first active pressure relief mechanism in the present invention in the open state (i.e., pressure relief state), and the direction indicated by the arrow is the airflow direction.
[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second pressure relief valve of the second active pressure relief mechanism in the present invention being in the closed state.
[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the second pressure relief valve of the second active pressure relief mechanism in the present invention in the open state (i.e., pressure relief state), and the direction indicated by the arrow is the airflow direction.
[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the wind direction in the energy storage compartment of this invention. The arrows indicate the direction of airflow.
[0026] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the fire control method in this invention.
[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100, Energy storage housing; 110, Battery cell; 200, Thermal runaway detection component; 210, NTC sensor; 220, Voltage sensor; 300, First active pressure relief mechanism; 310, Airflow drive component; 320, Ventilation duct; 330, First valve body drive component; 331, First drive shaft; 340, First motor mounting component; 350, First pressure relief valve; 351, First inner core; 352, First inner spring; 353, First inner nut; 354, First sealing ring; 355, First mounting sealing ring; 400, Second active pressure relief mechanism; 410, Second valve body drive component; 411, Second drive shaft; 420, Second motor mounting component; 430, Second pressure relief valve; 440, Second inner core; 450, Second inner spring; 460, Second inner nut; 470, Second sealing ring; 480, Second mounting sealing ring. Detailed Implementation
[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.
[0029] In existing technologies, the mainstream fire protection solutions for energy storage systems in the industry mainly include the following categories: First, aerosol fire suppression systems: Aerosol fire suppression systems release extinguishing agents upon detecting smoke or temperatures exceeding a set threshold, passively extinguishing the fire in the battery compartment. These devices are simple in structure and low in cost, but their activation typically occurs after thermal runaway has progressed to the combustion stage, making early intervention impossible. Even after extinguishing the fire, residual high temperatures and flammable gases inside the compartment can still lead to reignition.
[0030] Second, the perfluorohexanone fire suppression system: Perfluorohexanone is a commonly used clean gaseous fire extinguishing agent that cools the interior and isolates the fire through gas injection. However, it has a high injection pressure, complex equipment, and its gas concentration is not easily evenly distributed in a confined space. More importantly, this system is also a passive fire suppression system and cannot actively vent or dissipate heat in the early stages of thermal runaway.
[0031] Third, passive pressure relief valve structure: Some energy storage systems are equipped with mechanical pressure relief valves on the top of the battery compartment. When the pressure inside the compartment reaches a set value (usually 3~5 kPa), the valve automatically opens to release gas to prevent explosion. However, this structure relies entirely on changes in the pressure inside the compartment for triggering, resulting in a delayed response and an inability to reduce the concentration of flammable gas in advance. It is very likely to activate only during the violent thermal runaway reaction phase, thus limiting its safety.
[0032] Fourth, the ventilation and temperature control system: Energy storage cabinets are usually equipped with fans, vents and temperature control modules for heat dissipation during daily operation. However, this system is generally independent of the fire protection system and lacks linkage control with thermal runaway monitoring, so it cannot achieve emergency forced ventilation in abnormal conditions.
[0033] Fifth, intelligent BMS (Battery Management System) temperature monitoring system: Currently, some high-end energy storage products have BMS real-time temperature monitoring capabilities. However, BMS is usually only used for monitoring and data uploading, lacking the ability to actively control fire suppression devices. After detecting an anomaly, it can only issue an alarm, rather than directly triggering pressure relief or ventilation measures.
[0034] While the above solutions can reduce fire risk to some extent, they generally have the following significant drawbacks: First, the timing of the response is delayed, making it impossible to intervene in the early stages of thermal runaway. The trigger signals for aerosol or perfluorohexanone fire extinguishing systems typically come from smoke sensors or high-temperature alarms, and they only activate after the battery cell has already burned or gas has been released. By this time, the thermal runaway reaction is irreversible, making it difficult to prevent the accident from escalating.
[0035] Secondly, passive pressure relief methods have a slow response and limited protective effect. Mechanical passive pressure relief valves only open when the cabin pressure exceeds a set value, making them a passive response structure. If thermal runaway causes a rapid rise in pressure, the pressure relief valve often only activates after a large amount of gas has accumulated, which may still lead to an explosion due to excessively high concentrations of flammable gas.
[0036] Third, the detection system and the fire protection system lack linkage control. Although the existing BMS system can monitor the cell temperature and voltage in real time, most of them are only used for alarm prompts or shutdown protection, and do not have the ability to actively control fire protection devices, resulting in a disconnect between fire response and cell status.
[0037] Fourth, the ventilation system operates independently and cannot be linked in emergency situations. Conventional fans only start and stop based on temperature control when the energy storage system is operating normally and do not participate in thermal runaway emergency response. When a battery cell malfunctions, the fans are often shut down, making it impossible to promptly remove hot and flammable gases from the compartment.
[0038] Fifth, there is a lack of active control logic and intelligent media support. Currently, most fire protection control systems are independent hardware-level systems without unified intelligent control logic. They cannot dynamically adjust pressure relief or ventilation strategies based on information such as the degree of thermal runaway, air pressure status, and temperature gradient, resulting in insufficient accuracy and real-time performance of safety protection.
[0039] In summary, existing energy storage firefighting technologies are mostly passive response technologies, intervening only after a fire has already occurred, and they share the following common problems: (1) Unable to actively intervene in the early stage of thermal runaway of the battery cell; (2) The depressurization action was delayed, resulting in a rapid increase in cabin pressure and flammable gas concentration in a short period of time; (3) The ventilation system and the detection system are separate, making it impossible to form a coordinated protection; (4) Lack of intelligent control logic, slow overall response speed, and insufficient safety redundancy.
[0040] Therefore, a comprehensive fire control method is needed that can actively detect the thermal runaway state of the battery cells and automatically trigger pressure relief and ventilation, so that the energy storage system can quickly remove flammable gases and heat through active pressure relief and forced ventilation in the early stage of thermal runaway, thereby preventing explosions and fires and significantly improving the safety of the energy storage system.
[0041] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 This application provides a fire protection structure for an energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage shell 100 having an energy storage compartment for accommodating a plurality of battery cells 110; a thermal runaway detection component 200 disposed within the energy storage compartment for detecting a plurality of thermal runaway parameters; a first active pressure relief mechanism 300 disposed on the energy storage shell 100, the first active pressure relief mechanism 300 having a first pressure relief channel and an airflow drive component 310, the first pressure relief channel being configured to connect the energy storage compartment to the outside air when the battery cells 110 are in a thermal runaway state; the airflow drive component 310 being configured to drive the gas in the energy storage compartment to exchange gases with the outside air when the battery cells 110 are in a thermal runaway state; and a second active pressure relief mechanism 400 disposed on the energy storage shell 100, the second active pressure relief mechanism 400 having a second pressure relief channel being configured to connect the energy storage compartment to the outside air when the battery cells 110 are in a thermal runaway state.
[0042] For example, this application is particularly applicable to energy storage systems with lithium-ion batteries as the core energy storage unit. The first active pressure relief mechanism 300 and the second active pressure relief mechanism 400 of this application can be disposed on the top or side wall of the energy storage housing 100.
[0043] In one embodiment, the thermal runaway detection component 200 includes a multi-parameter sensor array, such as an NTC sensor 210 and a voltage sensor 220, for real-time detection of the battery cell 110 and the environmental status inside the storage chamber. For example, the NTC sensor 210 (a negative temperature coefficient thermistor) is used to detect the temperature of the battery cell; the voltage sensor 220 is used to detect the voltage of the battery cell; a current sensor is used to detect the current of the battery cell; a combustible gas sensor is used to detect the concentration of combustible gas in the energy storage chamber; a gas pressure sensor or pressure sensor is used to detect the gas pressure in the energy storage chamber; and an acoustic emission sensor is used to detect acoustic emission data.
[0044] This application utilizes a first active pressure relief mechanism 300 and a second active pressure relief mechanism 400 to actively connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. Simultaneously, driven by the airflow drive component 310, gas exchange occurs between the gas in the energy storage chamber and the outside air. By using one of the first active pressure relief mechanism 300 and the second active pressure relief mechanism 400 as an air inlet and the other as an air outlet, convective airflow is created, rapidly expelling flammable gases and high-temperature air generated by thermal runaway. This achieves active exhaust and cooling, preventing the formation of a high-concentration flammable gas mixture within the energy storage chamber and avoiding the risk of secondary combustion and explosion.
[0045] This application, through the thermal runaway detection component 200, the first active pressure relief mechanism 300, the second active pressure relief mechanism 400, and the airflow drive component 310, can actively trigger a fire response in the early stage of thermal runaway of the battery cell 110, realize active pressure relief and forced ventilation, and significantly improve the safety of the energy storage system.
[0046] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the first pressure relief valve in the first active pressure relief mechanism in the closed state. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first pressure relief valve in the first active pressure relief mechanism in the open state (i.e., pressure relief state). The first active pressure relief mechanism 300 further includes: a ventilation duct 320 disposed in the energy storage chamber, with the airflow drive 310 disposed in the ventilation duct 320; a first valve body drive 330 disposed in the ventilation duct 320, the first valve body drive 330 having a first drive shaft 331; and a first pressure relief valve 350 disposed on the energy storage shell, with the first pressure relief channel formed in the first pressure relief valve 350, the first pressure relief valve 350 having a first inner core 351. When the battery cell 110 is in a thermal runaway state, the first valve body drive 330 uses the first drive shaft 331 to drive the first inner core 351 to move, so that the first pressure relief valve 350 is in the pressure relief state, and the airflow drive 310 opens simultaneously, so that the gas in the energy storage chamber exchanges gas with the outside air.
[0047] For example, the first valve body drive 330 can be configured as a first motor, such as a telescopic rod motor. The first motor is fixed to the energy storage housing 100 by a first motor fixing member 340, and the first drive shaft 331 can be a telescopic head. When the battery cell 110 is in a thermal runaway state, the first pressure relief valve 350 is actively opened by the drive of the first motor. This application uses a control drive circuit and mechanical linkage to control the drive of the first motor. That is, when the battery cell 110 is in a thermal runaway state, a thermal runaway signal is generated, driving the first motor to push the linkage mechanism, forcibly opening the first pressure relief valve 350, and realizing active venting.
[0048] It is understandable that the first pressure relief valve 350 in the first active pressure relief mechanism 300 still has a passive pressure relief function. When the air pressure in the energy storage compartment rises to a preset value, the first pressure relief valve 350 can be passively opened to achieve automatic pressure relief. The first pressure relief valve 350 specifically includes: a first inner core 351, a first inner spring 352, a first inner nut 353, a first sealing ring 354, and a first mounting sealing ring 355. The first inner core 351 is movably inserted into the mounting hole of the first pressure relief valve 350; the first inner spring 352 is sleeved on the outside of the first inner core 351 and abuts against the inside of the valve body, for applying a preload to the first inner core 351; the first inner nut 353 is connected to the end of the first inner core 351, for limiting the first inner spring 352; the first sealing ring 354 is disposed between the first inner core 351 and the valve body; the first mounting sealing ring 355 is disposed at the mounting connection between the first pressure relief valve 350 and the energy storage housing.
[0049] For example, the first motor and the first inner core 351 of the first pressure relief valve 350 are connected by a mechanical linkage or an electromagnetic structure to achieve a rapid opening action and have an automatic reset function.
[0050] In one embodiment of this application, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the second pressure relief valve in the closed state of the second active pressure relief mechanism. Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the second pressure relief valve in the second active pressure relief mechanism in the open state (i.e., the pressure relief state). The second active pressure relief mechanism 400 further includes: a second valve body drive member 410, fixed to the energy storage housing 100, the second valve body drive member 410 having a second drive shaft 411; a second pressure relief valve 430, disposed on the energy storage housing 100, the second pressure relief channel being formed in the second pressure relief valve 430, the second pressure relief valve 430 having a second inner core 440; when the battery cell 110 is in a thermal runaway state, the second valve body drive member 410 uses the second drive shaft 411 to drive the second inner core 440 to move, so that the second pressure relief valve 430 is in the pressure relief state, connecting the energy storage chamber to the outside air.
[0051] For example, the second valve body drive 410 can be configured as a second motor, such as a telescopic rod motor. The second motor is fixed to the energy storage housing 100 by the second motor fixing member 420, and the second drive shaft 411 can be a telescopic head. When the battery cell 110 is in a thermal runaway state, the second pressure relief valve 430 is actively opened by the drive of the second motor.
[0052] This application uses a control drive circuit and mechanical linkage to control the drive of the second motor. That is, when the battery cell 110 is in a thermal runaway state, a thermal runaway signal is generated, which drives the second motor to push the linkage mechanism and forcibly open the second pressure relief valve 430 to achieve active venting.
[0053] It is understandable that the second pressure relief valve 430 in the second active pressure relief mechanism 400 still has a passive pressure relief function. When the air pressure in the energy storage compartment rises to a preset value, the second pressure relief valve 430 can be passively opened to achieve automatic pressure relief. The second pressure relief valve 430 specifically includes: a second inner core 440, a second inner spring 450, a second inner nut 460, a second sealing ring 470, and a second mounting sealing ring 480. The second inner core 440 is movably inserted into the mounting hole of the second pressure relief valve 430; the second inner spring 450 is sleeved on the outside of the second inner core 440 and abuts against the inside of the valve body, for applying a preload to the second inner core 440; the second inner nut 460 is connected to the end of the second inner core 440 for limiting the second inner spring 450; the second sealing ring 470 is disposed between the mating gap between the second inner core 440 and the valve body; the second mounting sealing ring 480 is disposed at the mounting connection between the second pressure relief valve 430 and the energy storage housing.
[0054] For example, the second motor and the second inner core 440 of the second pressure relief valve 430 are connected by a mechanical linkage or an electromagnetic structure to achieve a rapid opening action and have an automatic reset function.
[0055] In this embodiment of the application, the airflow drive 310 is configured as a fan, which is used to draw gas from the energy storage chamber to introduce outside air into the energy storage chamber through the second active pressure relief mechanism 400, and to discharge the gas in the energy storage chamber to the outside through the first pressure relief mechanism, thereby forming a continuous directional airflow in the energy storage chamber.
[0056] For example, the fan is a high-efficiency, high-temperature resistant fan, and the fan and ventilation duct 320 form a forced ventilation convection structure. The first active pressure relief mechanism 300 and the second active pressure relief mechanism 400 can be arranged opposite each other. When the first pressure relief valve 350 and the second pressure relief valve 430 are actively opened, the fan starts synchronously, forming air convection between the inside and outside of the chamber. In this way, the combustible gas is rapidly diluted and discharged from the energy storage chamber, such as... Figure 9 As shown.
[0057] The fire control method for energy storage systems according to embodiments of the present invention includes the following steps: Step S100: Obtain several thermal runaway parameters detected by the thermal runaway detection component; Step S200: Determine the current state of the battery cell based on each of the thermal runaway parameters; Step S300: If the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the first pressure relief channel in the first active pressure relief mechanism and the second pressure relief channel in the second active pressure relief mechanism are opened to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. At the same time, the airflow drive is controlled to drive the gas in the energy storage chamber to exchange gases with the outside air.
[0058] For example, this application integrates a thermal runaway detection module, a motor-controlled active pressure relief module, a forced ventilation convection module, and an intelligent control module within an energy storage system. The thermal runaway detection component serves as the thermal runaway detection module, continuously monitoring thermal runaway parameters; the first and second active pressure relief mechanisms serve as the motor-controlled active pressure relief module; and the airflow drive serves as the forced ventilation convection module. The intelligent control module can be a controller, which acquires several thermal runaway parameters detected by the thermal runaway detection component, determines the current state of the battery cell based on these parameters, and controls the first and second active pressure relief mechanisms and the airflow drive. It can proactively respond when abnormal trends appear in the battery cell's thermal runaway parameters, without waiting for high voltage or fire triggering. Through intelligent control, this application can dynamically determine triggering conditions based on signals collected by the sensors of the thermal runaway detection component and link with a host computer to achieve remote monitoring and safety management, achieving fully automated response through a combination of software and hardware control. Furthermore, this application adopts a modular design, allowing for independent assembly or integration into existing energy storage systems, possessing good scalability and compatibility.
[0059] This application utilizes a linkage mechanism to achieve active pressure relief and gas emission in the initial stage of cell thermal runaway, preventing chain combustion and explosion caused by delayed response.
[0060] In this embodiment of the application, step S200 specifically includes: Based on preset judgment rules and various thermal runaway parameters, the current thermal runaway risk level is determined; If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 1, then the current state of the cell is determined to be a preliminary abnormal state, the abnormal data in the thermal runaway parameters is recorded, and a data attention prompt is sent to the host computer. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 2, the current state of the cell is determined to be an intermediate abnormal state, a pre-trigger signal is generated, and the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive are controlled to enter the standby state. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 3, then the current state of the battery cell is determined to be a thermal runaway state.
[0061] For example, this application uses a multi-parameter fusion algorithm to determine whether there is a thermal runaway trend and outputs warning or trigger signals of different levels. The multi-parameter fusion algorithm can be a preset judgment rule that determines the current thermal runaway risk level based on each thermal runaway parameter, and then issues a data alert or trigger signal.
[0062] For example, if the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 1, abnormal data is monitored, meaning abnormal data is recorded and a monitoring alert is sent to the host computer, but no action is triggered. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 2, an early warning is issued, indicating an impending valve opening, generating a pre-trigger signal to notify the BMS or monitoring platform, and simultaneously preparing the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive to enter standby mode. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 3, an emergency action is taken, indicating that the cell's safety valve has opened or thermal runaway is imminent, unconditionally executing the active pressure relief and forced ventilation linkage control, and immediately outputting trigger signals to the first and second active pressure relief mechanisms. The controller drives the first and second motors to start, forcibly opening the first and second pressure relief valves via mechanical linkages to achieve active pressure relief, while simultaneously generating a control signal to start the fan. After the fan starts running, airflow convection is formed in the energy storage compartment, rapidly expelling combustible and hot gases.
[0063] In this embodiment of the application, the thermal runaway parameters include: the temperature, voltage and current of each battery cell, the concentration and pressure of combustible gas in the energy storage chamber, and acoustic emission data.
[0064] The preset determination rules include: If at least one thermal runaway parameter exceeds the preset first standard range, the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 1. If at least one of the preset combination parameters obtained based on thermal runaway parameters exceeds the preset second standard range, then the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 2. If the thermal runaway parameters meet at least one preset thermal runaway condition, the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 3.
[0065] For example, if any parameter is detected to reach a preset first standard range, such as a temperature rise rate dT / dt > 1℃ / min or a hydrogen (H2) concentration > 500ppm, the current thermal runaway risk level is determined to be Level 1. If at least one of the preset combined parameters exceeds a preset second standard range, for example, a hydrogen (H2) concentration > 2000ppm and a temperature rise rate > 0.2℃ / s, the current thermal runaway risk level is determined to be Level 2. Preset thermal runaway conditions include: the acoustic emission sensor detecting a characteristic frequency signal of a safety valve bursting; a sudden increase in gas pressure within the energy storage chamber greater than 500Pa; a hydrogen concentration greater than 5000ppm; a voltage drop greater than 100mV under abnormal load operation; and a temperature ≥ 90℃ and a temperature rise rate dT / dt > 1℃ / s. Thus, this application automatically adjusts the sequence and duration of actions based on the degree of thermal runaway, gas pressure value, and temperature gradient, forming intelligent protection.
[0066] This application achieves early identification of cell thermal runaway by using temperature threshold, voltage change rate, and trend judgment. Compared with traditional single-point temperature detection solutions, this module can more accurately identify anomalies and avoid false triggering.
[0067] In one embodiment of this application, after step S300, the method further includes: adjusting the rotational speed of the airflow drive component in real time based on the thermal runaway parameters using a preset frequency conversion control strategy.
[0068] For example, this application dynamically adjusts the power supply frequency of the airflow drive component based on real-time monitored thermal runaway parameters such as temperature, pressure, hydrogen concentration, and acoustic emission data, thereby changing the rotational speed and output airflow of the airflow drive component. Furthermore, when the detected thermal runaway parameters are within preset safety thresholds, the rotational speed of the airflow drive component is reduced to a predetermined speed or the operation is stopped.
[0069] This application adopts a variable frequency control strategy, which dynamically adjusts the power supply frequency of the airflow drive component based on real-time monitored thermal runaway parameters, thereby changing the rotation speed and output air volume. While meeting the requirements of heat dissipation, explosion protection, and exhaust, it reduces system energy consumption and improves the operating efficiency and control accuracy of the ventilation system.
[0070] In this embodiment of the application, the fire control method further includes: Record each thermal runaway parameter and the corresponding time, and report it to the battery management system or remote monitoring platform through the communication interface; Once the fault is cleared, a reset command is issued to shut down the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive component.
[0071] Specifically, this application also enables event recording and alarm linkage. The control system records information such as temperature, voltage, pressure, and time data of the event and reports it to the BMS or remote monitoring platform via a communication interface, realizing accident tracing and alarm linkage. After the fault is cleared, the controller issues a reset command to shut down the first and second active pressure relief mechanisms, and the system resumes normal monitoring.
[0072] This application achieves active fire control through a closed-loop approach of "detection-control-response-reset". It can dynamically adjust the execution strategy based on real-time thermal runaway parameters (i.e., sensor data) to ensure safe and effective depressurization and ventilation actions, and enables the energy storage system to have multi-level safety protection capabilities, thereby improving the reliability of the energy storage system.
[0073] This application overcomes the limitations of passive response, delayed pressure relief, and non-interlocking in existing technologies by using an active fire control method, enabling early identification and rapid handling of thermal runaway in energy storage systems, and fundamentally improving the safety and reliability of energy storage system operation.
[0074] The main beneficial effects of this application include: (1) Active safety protection: It can automatically intervene in the early stage of thermal runaway of the battery cell to prevent the accident from escalating; (2) Rapid pressure relief and heat dissipation: Active pressure relief combined with forced ventilation can achieve rapid dilution and discharge of combustible gases; (3) Intelligent response and closed-loop control: The detection, judgment, action and feedback process is fully automated with short reaction time; (4) Significantly improve the safety of energy storage system: Effectively avoid the risk of fire or explosion caused by gas accumulation; (5) Strong versatility: Applicable to industrial and commercial energy storage systems, base station energy storage cabinets and home energy storage equipment.
[0075] In one specific embodiment of this application, such as Figure 10As shown, the fire control process includes: initiating routine monitoring, starting the BMS system, and collecting data such as temperature, voltage, current, hydrogen, gas pressure, and acoustic emission in real time; determining whether the first-level threshold condition has been reached; if not, continuing real-time data collection; if the first-level threshold condition has been reached, recording abnormal data and reporting a data alert; determining whether the second-level threshold condition has been reached; if not, continuing real-time data collection; if the second-level threshold condition has been reached, generating a pre-trigger signal to prepare for action; determining whether the third-level threshold condition has been reached; if not, continuing real-time data collection; if the third-level threshold condition has been reached, actively opening the first and second pressure relief valves, and running the fan at full speed; continuously monitoring data such as temperature, voltage, current, hydrogen, gas pressure, and acoustic emission, determining whether the current data has decreased to a safe level; if not, continuing to monitor data such as temperature, voltage, current, hydrogen, gas pressure, and acoustic emission; if the data has decreased to a safe level, reducing the fan speed or stopping the fan, and resetting after troubleshooting, ending routine monitoring.
[0076] This application employs a dual pressure relief mechanism, incorporating two pressure relief valves within the energy storage chamber. Both valves can be used for both passive and active pressure relief. The valves automatically open when the internal pressure reaches a set threshold to prevent overpressure; additionally, a motor can forcibly open the valves upon detecting a thermal runaway signal, enabling premature venting. This dual pressure relief mechanism can simultaneously address different failure scenarios, enhancing system safety redundancy.
[0077] This application can also integrate with the BMS system for collaborative control logic. The ventilation fans used can be controlled through frequency conversion control strategies and dynamic adjustment algorithms. Monitoring data and alarm information can also be uploaded to the cloud platform to achieve remote monitoring and alarm uploading.
[0078] This embodiment also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the fire control method described above.
[0079] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.
[0080] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "N" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0081] Any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or N executable instructions for implementing custom logic functions or processes, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of this application includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order depending on the functions involved, as should be understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of this application pertain.
[0082] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a processor-included system, or other system that can read and execute instructions from or in conjunction with such an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include: an electrical connection having one or more wires (electronic device), a portable computer disk drive (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and editable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CDROM). In addition, computer-readable media can even be paper or other suitable media on which programs can be printed, because programs can be obtained electronically by optically scanning paper or other media, then editing, interpreting or otherwise processing them as necessary, and then storing them in computer memory.
[0083] It should be understood that the various parts of this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, the N steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. If implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.
[0084] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the methods described in the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.
[0085] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into a processing module, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into a module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.
[0086] The storage medium mentioned above can be a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk, etc. Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.
Claims
1. A fire protection structure for an energy storage system, characterized in that, include: The energy storage housing has an energy storage compartment for accommodating several battery cells; A thermal runaway detection component, located inside the energy storage compartment, is used to detect several thermal runaway parameters; A first active pressure relief mechanism is installed on the energy storage housing. The first active pressure relief mechanism has a first pressure relief channel and an airflow driving component. The first pressure relief channel is configured to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air when the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state. The airflow driving component is configured to drive the gas in the energy storage chamber to exchange gases with the outside air when the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state. A second active pressure relief mechanism is installed on the energy storage housing. The second active pressure relief mechanism has a second pressure relief channel, which is configured to connect the energy storage chamber to the outside air when the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state.
2. The fire protection structure for an energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first active pressure relief mechanism also includes: A ventilation duct is installed inside the energy storage compartment, and the airflow drive component is installed in the ventilation duct; A first valve body drive is disposed in the ventilation duct, and the first valve body drive has a first drive shaft; A first pressure relief valve is disposed on the energy storage housing, a first pressure relief channel is formed in the first pressure relief valve, and the first pressure relief valve has a first inner core. When the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the first valve body drive unit uses the first drive shaft to drive the first inner core to move, so that the first pressure relief valve is in a pressure relief state, and the airflow drive unit opens simultaneously, so that the gas in the energy storage chamber can exchange gas with the outside air.
3. The fire protection structure for an energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second active pressure relief mechanism also includes: The second valve body drive is fixed to the energy storage housing, and the second valve body drive has a second drive shaft; A second pressure relief valve is disposed on the energy storage housing, a second pressure relief channel is formed in the second pressure relief valve, and the second pressure relief valve has a second inner core. When the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the second valve body drive uses the second drive shaft to drive the second inner core to move, so that the second pressure relief valve is in a pressure relief state, and the energy storage chamber is connected to the outside air.
4. The fire protection structure for an energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airflow drive component is configured as a fan, which is used to draw gas from the energy storage chamber, introduce outside air into the energy storage chamber through the second active pressure relief mechanism, and discharge the gas in the energy storage chamber to the outside through the first pressure relief mechanism, thereby forming a continuous directional airflow in the energy storage chamber.
5. A fire control method based on a fire protection structure for an energy storage system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method includes: Acquire several thermal runaway parameters detected by the thermal runaway detection component; The current state of the battery cell is determined based on the aforementioned thermal runaway parameters; If the battery cell is in a state of thermal runaway, the first pressure relief channel in the first active pressure relief mechanism and the second pressure relief channel in the second active pressure relief mechanism are opened to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. At the same time, the airflow drive is controlled to drive the gas in the energy storage chamber to exchange gases with the outside air.
6. The fire control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Determining the current state of the cell based on the aforementioned thermal runaway parameters includes: Based on preset judgment rules and various thermal runaway parameters, the current thermal runaway risk level is determined; If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 1, then the current state of the cell is determined to be a preliminary abnormal state, the abnormal data in the thermal runaway parameters is recorded, and a data attention prompt is sent to the host computer. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 2, the current state of the cell is determined to be an intermediate abnormal state, a pre-trigger signal is generated, and the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive are controlled to enter the standby state. If the current thermal runaway risk level is Level 3, then the current state of the battery cell is determined to be a thermal runaway state.
7. The fire control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thermal runaway parameters include: the temperature, voltage and current of each cell, the concentration and pressure of combustible gas in the energy storage chamber, and acoustic emission data. The preset determination rules include: If at least one thermal runaway parameter exceeds the preset first standard range, the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 1. If at least one of the preset combination parameters obtained based on thermal runaway parameters exceeds the preset second standard range, then the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 2. If the thermal runaway parameters meet at least one preset thermal runaway condition, the current thermal runaway risk level will be determined as Level 3.
8. The fire control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, If the battery cell is in a thermal runaway state, the system controls the opening of the first pressure relief channel in the first active pressure relief mechanism and the second pressure relief channel in the second active pressure relief mechanism to connect the energy storage chamber with the outside air. Simultaneously, after controlling the airflow drive to exchange gas between the gas in the energy storage chamber and the outside air, the system further includes: Based on thermal runaway parameters, a preset variable frequency control strategy is used to adjust the rotational speed of the airflow drive component in real time.
9. The fire control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fire control method also includes: Record each thermal runaway parameter and the corresponding time, and report it to the battery management system or remote monitoring platform through the communication interface; Once the fault is cleared, a reset command is issued to shut down the first active pressure relief mechanism, the second active pressure relief mechanism, and the airflow drive component.
10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that can be executed to implement the steps of the fire control method as described in any one of claims 5 to 9.