Energy storage device with fire extinguishing function

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function, the energy storage device comprising: a housing having an installation space therein; a plurality of battery cells installed inside the case; and a fire extinguishing unit extending to the inside of the case and configured to supply a fire extinguishing agent, in which the fire extinguishing unit is configured to supply the fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space while melting at a threshold or higher temperature.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0033610, filed on March 11, 2024, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] Some aspects of embodiments of this disclosure relate to an energy storage device with fire extinguishing capabilities. Background Technology

[0004] Typically, an energy storage system (ESS) is a system that stores surplus electricity or electricity produced using renewable energy sources. By using energy storage systems, it is possible to control electricity supply and demand relatively more smoothly by storing idle electricity during periods of low demand and supplying electricity during periods of high demand.

[0005] Fires can occur in the spaces or facilities where energy storage systems are installed and operated due to electric shock, short circuits, external surges, etc. Accordingly, it may be desirable to install fire suppression equipment in the energy storage system.

[0006] Fire suppression systems may include, for example, fire detection sensors, sprinklers installed around battery racks or on the ceiling, or fire extinguishing agent sprayers.

[0007] In some fire suppression systems, when a fire occurs in an energy storage device, the extinguishing agent can be sprayed from outside the energy storage device, which may increase the time and cost required to extinguish the fire.

[0008] The information disclosed in this background section is only for enhancing the understanding of the background, and therefore the information discussed in this background section does not necessarily constitute prior art. Utility Model Content

[0009] Some aspects of embodiments of this disclosure relate to an energy storage device with fire extinguishing capabilities, which can extinguish fires by directly supplying a fire extinguishing agent into the interior of the energy storage device.

[0010] Some aspects of embodiments of this disclosure relate to an energy storage device with fire extinguishing capabilities, which can extinguish fires by directly supplying a fire extinguishing agent into the interior of the energy storage device.

[0011] Additionally, some embodiments of this disclosure include an energy storage device with fire extinguishing capabilities, which can extinguish a fire relatively quickly by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the interior of the housing to immerse individual battery cells in the fire extinguishing agent.

[0012] In addition, aspects of some embodiments of the disclosure include an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function, which is capable of extinguishing a fire by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to a battery cell in which a fire has occurred.

[0013] In addition, aspects of some embodiments of the disclosure include an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function, which is capable of extinguishing a fire by stably supplying a fire extinguishing agent even when a fire occurs.

[0014] In a system in which a tube is installed to directly supply a fire extinguishing agent to the inside of an energy storage device, when a fire occurs, the tube can be deformed due to high temperature, or the nozzle of the tube can be clogged by foreign matter generated when a fire occurs. Accordingly, some embodiments can include an energy storage system or device having a fire extinguishing function, which is capable of supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the inside of an energy storage device.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the disclosure, an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function can include a housing portion (also referred to as a housing) having an installation space provided in the inside of the housing portion, a plurality of battery cells installed in the inside of the housing portion, and a fire extinguishing unit extending to the inside of the housing portion and supplying a fire extinguishing agent.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the fire extinguishing unit can supply the fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space while melting at a critical value or higher temperature.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the fire extinguishing unit can include a fire extinguishing tube extending along a longitudinal direction of the housing portion and supplying the fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space through a portion melted by heat, and a connection tube connecting the fire extinguishing tube and a supply tube outside the housing portion.

[0018] According to some embodiments, a melting temperature of the fire extinguishing tube can be set to between 80℃ and 300℃.

[0019] According to some embodiments, a material of the fire extinguishing tube can include a plastic material.

[0020] According to some embodiments, a material of the fire extinguishing tube can include at least one of polypropylene (PP), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide 6 (PA6), and polyamide 66 (PA66).

[0021] According to some embodiments, an inner diameter of the fire extinguishing tube can be in a range of 3mm ~ 20mm.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the fire extinguishing tube can be installed in a state of facing a lateral side of the battery cell.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the battery cells can be arranged in a plurality of rows along a width direction of the housing portion.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the fire extinguishing tube can be placed between rows of the battery cells.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the energy storage device of the disclosure can further include a lower panel installed between a bottom surface of the housing portion and the battery cells to support a bottom portion of the battery cells and block movement of the fire extinguishing agent supplied through the fire extinguishing unit to the bottom surface of the housing portion.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the lower panel can include a panel body installed in a plate shape between the bottom surface of the housing portion and the battery cells to block movement of the fire extinguishing agent, a first guide portion installed on an upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a longitudinal direction of the housing portion to guide movement of the fire extinguishing agent, and a second guide portion installed on the upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a width direction of the housing portion to guide movement of the fire extinguishing agent.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the disclosure, an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function can include a housing portion having an installation space provided inside the housing portion, a plurality of battery cells installed inside the housing portion, a fire extinguishing unit extending to the inside of the housing portion and supplying a fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space, and a lower panel installed between a bottom surface of the housing portion and the battery cells to support a bottom portion of the battery cells and block movement of the fire extinguishing agent toward the bottom surface of the housing portion so that the fire extinguishing agent ejected from the fire extinguishing unit is stored inside the housing portion.

[0028] According to some embodiments, the lower panel can include a panel body installed in a plate shape between the bottom surface of the housing portion and the battery cells to block movement of the fire extinguishing agent, a first guide portion installed on an upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a longitudinal direction of the housing portion to guide movement of the fire extinguishing agent, a second guide portion installed on the upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a width direction of the housing portion to guide movement of the fire extinguishing agent, and a support protrusion protruding upward from the panel body and supporting a bottom portion of the battery cells.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the lower panel can further include an edge member protruding upward from an edge of the panel body and supporting a lateral side of the battery cells.

[0030] According to some embodiments, the lower panel can be made of an insulating material.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the energy storage device of the disclosure can further include a flame barrier member placed together with the fire extinguishing tube between rows of the battery cells to block flame propagation between adjacent battery cells.

[0032] According to some embodiments, the flame blocking member can include an upper blocking member in a plate shape located at an upper side of the fire extinguishing pipe, and a lower blocking member in a plate shape located at a lower side of the fire extinguishing pipe. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0035] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a fire extinguishing pipe installed inside a housing portion according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0036] Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a fire extinguishing pipe located at a lateral side of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0037] Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a fire extinguishing agent is ejected from a fire extinguishing pipe according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0038] Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a battery cell is loaded on a lower panel according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0039] Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a partition protrusion supports a flame blocking member according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0040] Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating a partition protrusion and a connection passage of a lower panel according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0041] Figure 9 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a battery cell is installed according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0042] Figure 10 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a fire extinguishing agent that has moved to a bottom portion of a battery cell moves in a longitudinal direction according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0043] Figure 11 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a battery cell is installed according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0044] Figure 12 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a fire extinguishing agent that has moved to a bottom portion of a battery cell moves in a width direction according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0045] Figure 13is a plan view showing a state in which a fire has occurred in any one of the battery cells according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 14 is a graphical representation of the temperature of the battery cell at which the fire was extinguished by the operation of the energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Hereinafter, aspects of some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Aspects of some embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated and described to provide a more thorough and complete disclosure of embodiments according to some embodiments of the present disclosure to one of ordinary skill in the art, and the following embodiments can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these disclosed embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be more thorough and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of some embodiments of the present disclosure to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0049] In addition, in the drawings, the size or thickness of each component is exaggerated for simplicity and clarity. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In addition, it will be understood that, when an element A is referred to as being "connected to" an element B, element A can be directly connected to element B or an intervening element C can be present between them such that element A and element B are indirectly connected to each other.

[0050] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0051] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. can be used herein to describe various components, elements, regions, layers and / or sections, these components, elements, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component, element, region, layer and / or section from another component, element, region, layer and / or section. Thus, a first component, element, region, layer and / or section discussed below could be termed a second component, element, region, layer and / or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0052] For ease of description, spatial relative terms, such as "under", "below", "lower", "over", and "upper" and the like, can be used herein to describe a relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientations depicted in the figures. For example, if an element or feature is depicted as being "under" or "below" another element or feature, it will be understood that the element or feature can be oriented above the other element or feature in other examples. Thus, the term "under" can encompass both orientations, above and below. Embodiments of the present disclosure can include structures, systems, devices, or methods that differ from the examples of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. The intended scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein.

[0053] Hereinafter, an energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0054] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a perspective view of an energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0055] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function has a fire extinguishing tube 310 extending to the inside of the housing portion 100 in a system for ejecting a fire extinguishing agent 400 (see, for example, Figure 5 ) from the outside of the energy storage device. In addition, when a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing tube 310 melts due to the flame or heat and supplies the fire extinguishing agent 400 to the inside of the housing portion 100, thereby effectively suppressing the thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery cell 200 that causes the fire.

[0056] According to some embodiments, the fire extinguishing tube made of a plastic material is placed between one of the battery cells 200 and the adjacent battery cell 200, and thus the fire extinguishing tube 310 melts due to the heat generated when the battery cell 200 catches fire, thereby ejecting the fire extinguishing agent 400. When the fire extinguishing tube 310 melts by heat, a passage for discharging the fire extinguishing agent 400 is formed, and the fire extinguishing agent 400 ejected from the fire extinguishing tube 310 is highly likely to be injected into the battery cell 200 that has caught fire, thereby providing a direct ejection, automatically openable fire extinguishing system.

[0057] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function includes a housing portion 100, a battery cell 200, a fire extinguishing unit (or a fire extinguisher or a fire extinguishing part or a fire extinguishing assembly) 300, and a lower panel 500. In addition, the energy storage device 1 of the present disclosure can further include a flame blocking member 600 (see, for example, Figure 7 ).

[0058] Figure 3is a perspective view showing the fire extinguishing pipe 310 installed inside the housing portion 100 according to some embodiments of the disclosure, Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the fire extinguishing pipe 310 located at the lateral side of the battery cell 200 according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0059] As Figures 1 to 4 shown, various modifications are possible within the technical idea that the installation space 110 is provided inside the housing portion 100. The battery cell 200, the fire extinguishing unit 300, the lower panel 500, and the flame barrier member 600 can be installed in the installation space 110.

[0060] The main body of the housing portion 100 has an open upper side, and the open upper side of the housing portion 100 is opened / closed by the cover member 160 (see, for example, Figure 11 ). According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the housing portion 100 includes a lower plate 120, a side plate 130, a first end plate 140, a second end plate 150, and a cover member 160.

[0061] The lower plate 120 is in the shape of a panel forming a bottom portion of the housing portion 100. The upper surface of the lower plate 120 includes a bottom surface 122 of the housing portion 100. The lower plate 120 can include exhaust holes for heat dissipation or discharge of gas that can occur inside the housing portion 100. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lower plate 120 is a rectangular plate, and the side plate 130 is installed on both sides in the width direction (W) of the lower plate 120.

[0062] The side plate 130 extends upward from both sides in the width direction (W) of the lower plate 120 to form a side wall of the housing portion 100. The side plate 130 can be a rectangular panel, and a bottom portion of the side plate 130 is connected to the lower plate 120. The side plate 130 forms the installation space 110 having an open upper side together with the lower plate 120.

[0063] The first end plate 140 is installed on one side in the longitudinal direction (D) of the housing portion 100, and the second end plate 150 is installed on the other side in the longitudinal direction (D) of the housing portion 100. The first end plate 140 and the second end plate 150 are in the shape of a plate and are installed in the vertical direction.

[0064] A side protrusion 142 for installing the connection pipe 320 of the fire extinguishing unit 300 is provided in the first end plate 140, which will be described later. The side protrusion 142 is a protrusion connected to the lateral side of the first end plate 140 and protruding outward from the first end plate 40.

[0065] The battery cell 200, the fire extinguishing unit 300, the lower panel 500, and the flame barrier member 600 can be installed inside the installation space 110. The cover member 160 is installed above the housing portion 100, and covers the entrance of the installation space 110 in a state in which the battery cell 200, the fire extinguishing unit 300, the lower panel 500, and the flame barrier member 600 are installed in the installation space 110.

[0066] The lower panel 500 is positioned on the upper side of the lower plate 120, the battery cell 200 is positioned on the upper side of the lower panel 500, and the cover member 160 is positioned on the upper side of the battery cell 200. Also, the lower panel 500, the first end plate 140, the second end plate 150, and the side plate 130 are formed in the shape of a concave container having an open upper side. Thus, after the fire extinguishing agent 400 ejected from the fire extinguishing unit 300 falls to the lower panel 500, the water level gradually increases, so the battery cell 200 is submerged in the fire extinguishing agent 400.

[0067] A plurality of battery cells 200 are installed in the installation space 110 provided inside the housing portion 100. The battery cells 200 can be arranged in multiple rows along the width direction (W) of the housing portion 100. Also, the battery cells 200 can be connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel.

[0068] An electrode assembly is accommodated inside a battery case forming the outer shape of the battery cell 200, and an upper portion of the battery case is covered by a cover plate. The electrode assembly can be constructed by being wound, stacked, or laminated in a state in which a separator is placed between a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, each having a region (e.g., a coated portion) coated with an active material. Also, an exhaust portion having a thickness smaller than that of other regions can be formed at the center (or approximately the center) of the cover plate. Also, first and second electrode terminals electrically connected to the electrode assembly can be positioned at both sides of the cover plate.

[0069] Since the configuration of the battery cell 200 of the present disclosure is a known configuration, some repetitive detailed description thereof can be omitted.

[0070] The battery cell 200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is positioned inside the housing portion 100 and arranged in two rows, but the battery cell 200 is not limited thereto and can be arranged in one row or three or more rows.

[0071] The lower side of the battery cell 200 is supported by the lower panel 500, and the upper side of the battery cell 200 faces the cover member 160. The battery cell 200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is in the shape of a cuboid and can be configured to extend in the vertical direction, but is not limited thereto, and of course various modifications are possible.

[0072] In the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the disclosure, since the fire extinguishing pipe 310 supplying the fire extinguishing agent 400 extends inside the housing part 100 and is installed at a position facing the battery cell 200, when a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing agent 400 can be directly supplied to the inside of the energy storage device, thereby extinguishing the fire. When a fire occurs in any of the battery cells 200 or inside the housing part 100 in which the battery cells 200 are installed, the fire extinguishing agent 400 is delivered to the inside of the housing part 100 through the fire extinguishing unit 300. Thus, the fire is extinguished.

[0073] The fire extinguishing unit 300 will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the fire extinguishing agent 400 is sprayed from the fire extinguishing pipe 310 according to some embodiments of the disclosure, Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the battery cells 200 are loaded on the lower panel 500 according to some embodiments of the disclosure, Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the partition protrusion 570 supports the flame barrier member 600 according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0074] As Figures 5 to 7 shown, within the technical idea that the fire extinguishing unit 300 extends to the inside of the housing part 100 to supply the fire extinguishing agent 400, various modifications can be made. In the fire extinguishing unit 300 according to some embodiments of the disclosure, within the technical idea that the fire extinguishing liquid is supplied to at least one battery cell 200 or the installation space 110 while the fire extinguishing pipe 310 melts at a critical value (or threshold value, or threshold temperature (e.g., a set threshold value or a predetermined threshold value, or a set threshold temperature or a predetermined threshold temperature) or higher, various modifications are possible.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the fire extinguishing unit 300 includes the fire extinguishing pipe 310, the connection pipe 320, and the supply pipe 330.

[0076] The fire extinguishing pipe 310 extends along the longitudinal direction (D) of the housing part 100 and can supply the fire extinguishing liquid to at least one battery cell 200 or the installation space 110 through a portion melted by heat. The fire extinguishing pipe 310 extends to the inside of the housing part 100, and when the pipe melts due to heat generated when a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing agent 400 can be supplied to the inside of the housing part 200. For example, when a fire occurs in any of the battery cells 200 in a state in which the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is installed to face the lateral side of the battery cell 200, as the fire extinguishing pipe 310 facing the battery cell 200 in which a fire has occurred melts, the fire extinguishing agent 400 is sprayed. The fire extinguishing agent 400 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is sprayed onto and around the battery cell 200 in which a fire has occurred, and thus can be relatively quickly extinguished.

[0077] Various modifications to the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 are possible within the technical idea in which the fire extinguishing agent 400 is supplied to the inside of the housing part 100 while the fire extinguishing pipe 310 melts at a temperature of a critical value or more in a state in which the fire extinguishing pipe 310 supplying the fire extinguishing agent 400 extends to the inside of the housing part 100.

[0078] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 can be set to between 80℃ and 300℃. If the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is set to be lower than 80℃, the internal temperature of the energy storage device 1 with a fire extinguishing function operated in summer can increase to a high temperature, which can cause a malfunction in which the fire extinguishing pipe 310 melts and the fire extinguishing agent 400 sprays. Therefore, the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is set to 80℃ or more so that the fire extinguishing pipe 310 melts and the fire extinguishing agent 400 sprays only when a fire occurs.

[0079] The fire extinguishing agent 400 moving along the fire extinguishing pipe 310 can be in a liquid phase or a gas phase, and in some cases, can be in a mixed state of a liquid phase and a gas phase. The fire extinguishing agent 400 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can include any one of heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea), a water-based fire extinguishing agent 400 for cooling and extinguishing (water, halon 1211, halon 1301, reinforced solution, acid alkali), and 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane.

[0080] Heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea) is a fire extinguishing agent having fire extinguishing performance, eco-friendliness, and human safety. Heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea) is a fire extinguishing agent that can comply with environmental regulations and has a low impact on the environment due to low ozone layer depletion or global warming. When heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea) is used, electrical insulation is excellent, and even in the case of a power outage, it is possible to relatively quickly extinguish a fire, thereby preventing or reducing significant loss.

[0081] The water-based fire extinguishing agent 400 for cooling and extinguishing is a fire extinguishing agent for extinguishing a fire and cooling a fire zone when a fire occurs. The fire extinguishing agent 400 is mainly water-based and serves to suppress the spread of a fire by suppressing a flame and lowering a temperature, rather than directly extinguishing a fire. The water-based fire extinguishing agent 400 for cooling and extinguishing extinguishes a fire by absorbing and evaporating heat from a fire to lower the surrounding temperature, and prevents or reduces the spread of a fire by reducing a flame and suppressing an oxidation reaction.

[0082] An artificial gas consisting of 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (also referred to as heptafluoropropane) is stored in a liquid form, and is sprayed by a special device or ejected by an ejector in the event of a fire. The 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane is converted from the fire extinguishing liquid to a gaseous state, and spreads throughout the space to extinguish the flame and put out the fire. The 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane has a high fire extinguishing efficiency, and relatively rapidly cools the ignition area to suppress the oxidation reaction. The 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane has various advantages, the greatest advantage being a high fire extinguishing speed. The 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane can relatively rapidly extinguish the fire and suppress the flame to prevent or reduce the spread of the fire. In addition, unlike water, the 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane is not conductive and non-flammable, and thus can be safely used even in a space having electrical equipment. In addition, the 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane relatively rapidly evaporates, leaving relatively little residue after the fire is extinguished, thereby minimizing or reducing property damage.

[0083] In consideration of the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing tube 310, the fire extinguishing tube 310 can include a plastic material. More specifically, the material of the fire extinguishing tube 310 can include at least one of polypropylene (PP), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide 6 (PA6), and polyamide 66 (PA66). Since the fire extinguishing tube 310 includes a plastic material, which is a relatively inexpensive material, it is possible to reduce production costs and to relatively improve formability.

[0084] The melting temperature of polypropylene (PP) is 139℃, the melting temperature of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is 126℃, the melting temperature of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is 150℃, the melting temperature of polyamide 6 (PA6) is 223℃, and the melting temperature of polyamide 66 (PA66) is 263℃.

[0085] The fire extinguishing tube 310 can be in the shape of a circular tube extending in the longitudinal direction (D) of the case portion 100, and the inner diameter of the fire extinguishing tube 310 can be 3mm~20mm. If the inner diameter of the fire extinguishing tube 310 is less than 3mm, the flow rate of the fire extinguishing tube 310 is low, so that the supply of the fire extinguishing tube 310 is not smooth when a fire occurs, and the time required for fire extinguishing increases. In addition, when the inner diameter of the fire extinguishing tube 310 is greater than 20mm, interference with the position where the battery cell 200 is installed can occur. When the size of the case portion 100 is increased in order to solve the interference between the fire extinguishing tube 310 and the battery cell 200, the installation space of the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function can increase, which is problematic. The inner diameter of the fire extinguishing tube 310 is determined in consideration of the capacity and size of the battery cell 200 and the installation space to secure to provide sufficient flow rate.

[0086] The fire extinguishing pipe 310 can be installed to face the upper side or the lower side of the battery cell 200. However, when the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is installed at a position facing the upper side of the battery cell 200, an interference problem between the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and the cover member 160 can occur. In addition, when the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is installed at a position facing the lower side of the battery cell 200, an interference problem between the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and the lower panel 500 can occur.

[0087] Accordingly, the fire extinguishing pipe 310 according to some embodiments of the disclosure is installed in a state of facing the lateral side of the battery cell 200. When a fire occurs in any of the battery cells 200, the melting operation of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 installed in a state of facing the lateral side of the battery cell 200 can be relatively rapidly achieved by the heat generated by the fire. Assuming that the distance between the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and the bottom portion of the lower panel 500 is a first distance and the distance between the top end of the battery cell 200 and the bottom portion of the lower panel 300 is a second distance, the first distance is shorter than the second distance. The installation height of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is lower than the top height of the battery cell 200. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the distance between the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and the bottom portion of the lower panel 500 is set to 30 mm ~ 110 mm.

[0088] The fire extinguishing pipe 310 can be located inside the housing portion 100 and can extend in the longitudinal direction (D) of the housing portion 100. Considering the number and arrangement of the battery cells 200, the number of the fire extinguishing pipes 310 can be increased or decreased. For example, when the battery cells 200 are arranged in three rows, various modifications are possible, such as providing and placing two fire extinguishing pipes 310 between the rows. The fire extinguishing pipe 310 can be placed between the rows of the battery cells 200.

[0089] The fire extinguishing pipe 310 is arranged in a circular pipe shape to reduce the friction between the fire extinguishing agent 400 moving along the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and the fire extinguishing pipe 310.

[0090] Various modifications are possible within the technical idea in which the connection pipe 320 is connected to the end portion of the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and connects the fire extinguishing pipe 310 and the supply pipe 330 located outside the housing portion 100. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the connection pipe 320 is supported by the side protrusion 142 provided on the first end plate 140. The connection pipe 320 protrudes outside the side protrusion 142 and is connected to the supply pipe 330 that supplies the fire extinguishing agent 400. Since the melting temperature of the connection pipe 320 is higher than the melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe 310, the operation of supplying the fire extinguishing agent 400 supplied through the supply pipe 330 to the fire extinguishing pipe 310 can be stably performed even in the case of a fire.

[0091] A lower panel 500 is installed below the battery cell 200 to support a lower portion of the battery cell 200. The lower panel 500 will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating a partition protrusion 570 and a connection passage 572 of the lower panel 500 according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0092] As Figures 6 to 8 illustrated, the lower panel 500 is installed between the bottom surface 122 of the housing portion 100 and the battery cell 200 to support a lower portion of the battery cell 200, and various modifications are possible within the technical concept of blocking the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400 supplied through the fire extinguishing unit 300 to the bottom surface 122 of the housing portion 100. When a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing agent 400 sprayed from the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is blocked by the lower panel 500 from moving to the lower side of the housing portion 100, and thus the battery cell 200 installed inside the housing portion 100 is able to be immersed in the fire extinguishing agent 400 to extinguish the fire relatively quickly.

[0093] The lower panel 500 can be made of an insulating material. Since the lower panel 500 contains an insulating material, electrical contact between the battery cell 200 and the lower plate 120 can be prevented or reduced to ensure electrical stability. The insulating material can include plastic, rubber, ceramic, glass fiber, etc. Since the insulating material has a low thermal conductivity and thus can effectively block heat, heat dissipation in the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function can be minimized or reduced, thereby preventing or reducing overheating. In addition, the lower panel 500 can contain a fire-resistant and corrosion-resistant material.

[0094] To allow the fire extinguishing agent 400 to be stored inside the housing portion 100 to immerse the battery cell 200 in the fire extinguishing agent 400, the lower panel 500 is not provided with a separate hole to discharge the fire extinguishing agent 400 to the lower side. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lower panel 500 includes at least one of a panel body 510, a first guide portion (or first guide member) 520, a second guide portion (or second guide member) 530, a support protrusion 540, a side protrusion 550, a reinforcing protrusion 560, a partition protrusion 570, and an edge member 580.

[0095] The panel body 510 is installed in a plate shape between the bottom surface 122 of the housing portion 100 and the battery cell 200, and various modifications are possible within the technical concept of blocking the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the panel body 510 is in the shape of a plate installed at a bottom portion of the battery cell 200 and supports the bottom portion of the battery cell 200. The panel body 510 has a rectangular plate shape and is installed between the bottom portion of the battery cell 200 and the lower plate 120. Since the panel body 510 is not provided with a separate hole, the fire extinguishing agent 400 accumulated on the upper side of the panel body 510 can be blocked from moving downward through the panel body 510.

[0096] The first guide portion 520 is installed on the upper side 512 of the panel body 510, and within the technical idea that a flow path is formed in the longitudinal direction (D) of the housing portion 100 to guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400, various modifications are possible. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the first guide portion 520 forms a groove on both sides in the width direction (W) of the partition protrusion 570, which will be described later, and the first guide portion 520 extends in the longitudinal direction (D). Thus, after falling on the panel body 510, the fire extinguishing agent 400 sprayed from the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is guided in the longitudinal direction (D) along the first guide portion 520, and thus it is possible to relatively more quickly extinguish a fire occurring in the battery cell 200 disposed adjacent to the first guide portion 520.

[0097] The second guide portion 530 is installed on the upper side 512 of the panel body 510, and within the technical idea that a flow path is formed in the width direction (W) of the housing portion 100 to guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400, various modifications are possible. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the second guide portion 530 is located at the bottom portion of the battery cell 200, and it is possible to form a flow path through which the fire extinguishing agent 400 moves along the width direction (W) of the panel body 510.

[0098] Since the first guide portion 520 and the second guide portion 530 are connected to each other, the fire extinguishing agent 400 in contact with the upper side 512 of the panel body 510 can move relatively quickly in the horizontal direction.

[0099] The support protrusion 540 protrudes from the upper side of the panel body 510, and within the technical idea that the bottom portion of the battery cell 200 is supported, various modifications are possible. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the support protrusion 540 is located at the center in the width direction (W) of the battery cell 200, and is in the shape of a protrusion protruding upward from the panel body 510. The support protrusion 540 is provided as a plurality of support protrusions, and is installed along the longitudinal direction (D) of the lower panel 500. As many support protrusions 540 as the battery cells 200 can be installed to correspond to the rows in which the battery cells 200 are installed.

[0100] When the support protrusion 540 is installed in the direction of the row, the support protrusion 540 and the adjacent support protrusion 540 can be installed to be spaced apart from each other. Since the support protrusion 540 protrudes upward from the upper side 512 of the panel body 510, a space for the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400 is formed around the support protrusion 540.

[0101] The upwardly protruding side protrusions 550 are provided on both sides in the width direction (W) of the lower panel 500. The upwardly protruding side protrusions 550 from the upper side 512 of the panel body 510 support the lower portion of the battery cell 200 together with the support protrusions 540.

[0102] The reinforcement protrusions 560 are protrusions located on both sides in the width direction (W) of the partition protrusions 570, which will be described later, and reinforce the structural rigidity of the panel body 510. The first guide portion 520 is located between the pair of reinforcement protrusions 560. The reinforcement protrusions 560 protrude upward from the panel body 510 and provide a space for the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400. The reinforcement protrusions 560 can support the bottom portion of the battery cell 200 together with the support protrusions 540 and the side protrusions 550. The center in the width direction (W) of the battery cell 200 is supported by the support protrusions 540, the first side in the width direction (W) of the battery cell 200 is supported by the reinforcement protrusions 560, and the second side in the width direction (W) of the battery cell 200 can be supported by the side protrusions 550.

[0103] The fire extinguishing agent 400 can move through the space between the battery cell 200 and the panel body 510 in which the reinforcement protrusions 560, the side protrusions 550, and the support protrusions 540 are not installed. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing agent 400 that falls from the fire extinguishing pipe 310 can relatively quickly move through the space provided between the panel body 510 and the battery cell 200, thereby suppressing a fire at an early stage.

[0104] The partition protrusions 570 are installed at the center in the width direction (W) of the panel body 510. The partition protrusions 570 are installed together with the battery cell 200 in the longitudinal direction (D). The flame barrier member 600, which will be described later, is installed above the partition protrusions 570. The partition protrusions 570 are in the shape of protrusions that protrude upward from the panel body 510, and a plurality of connection passages 572 are formed in the width direction (W) of the partition protrusions 570. Accordingly, when a fire occurs in the battery cell 200 located in the first row (A1), even if the fire extinguishing agent 400 is supplied to the upper side of the panel body 510 located in the first row (A1), the fire extinguishing agent 400 can be delivered to the upper side of the panel body 510 located in the second row (A2) through the connection passages 572.

[0105] Figure 9 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the battery cell 200 according to some embodiments of the disclosure is installed, Figure 10 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the fire extinguishing agent 400 that has moved to the bottom portion of the battery cell 200 moves in the longitudinal direction according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0106] As Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, the edge member 580 protrudes upward from the edge of the panel body 510 and supports the lateral sides of the battery cells 200. A plurality of battery cells 200 can be arranged in a set row on the upper side of the panel body 510. Accordingly, the battery cells 200 and the lower panel 500 are individually assembled in the form of a module, and then combined with the case portion 100, thereby saving the time required for the assembly process.

[0107] In an initial fire extinguishing state in which a portion of the fire extinguishing tube 310 melts and the fire extinguishing agent 400 moves toward the lower panel 500 when a fire occurs, the movement of the fire extinguishing agent 400 is guided in the width direction (W) and the longitudinal direction (D) of the case portion 100 by the first guide portion 520 and the second guide portion 530.

[0108] Figure 11 FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the battery cells 200 are installed according to some embodiments of the disclosure, Figure 12 FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the fire extinguishing agent 400 that has moved to the bottom portion of the battery cells moves in the width direction according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0109] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the flame barrier member 600 is placed between the rows of battery cells 200 together with the fire extinguishing tube 310, and various modifications are possible within the technical idea of blocking the spread (or propagation) of flames between adjacent battery cells 200. The flame barrier member 600 can be formed as a single member, or if necessary, can be formed as a plurality of members.

[0110] According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the flame barrier member 600 includes an upper barrier member 610 and a lower barrier member 620.

[0111] The upper barrier member 610 has a plate shape, is located above the fire extinguishing tube 310, and is installed in a standing shape. The lower barrier member 620 has a plate shape, is located on the lower side of the fire extinguishing tube 310, and is installed in a standing shape. The lower end of the lower barrier member 620 is supported by the partition protrusion 570. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the flame barrier member 600 can include the plate-shaped upper barrier member 610 located on the upper side of the fire extinguishing tube 310 and the plate-shaped lower barrier member 620 located on the lower side of the fire extinguishing tube 410.

[0112] In the battery cells 200, heat can be generated during charging and discharging, which can cause a fire. Accordingly, in the event of a fire, the flame barrier member 600 that effectively suppresses a fire and blocks the propagation of a fire is installed between the battery cells 200 and the adjacent battery cells 200.

[0113] According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the flame barrier member 600 can have at least one of fire resistance, heat resistance, gas shielding, and heat transfer blocking.

[0114] The heat resistance protection device does not deform or dissolve even at high temperatures. The gas shielding performance suppresses a flame by releasing gas to prevent or reduce the spread of the flame to the surrounding environment. The heat transfer blocking performance blocks heat transfer to the outside of the device and prevents or reduces the spread of the flame to the surrounding material.

[0115] The material of the flame barrier member 600 can be a fire-resistant fiber material, a fire-resistant material, or a reinforced polymer.

[0116] Since the fire extinguishing tube 310 is installed between the upper barrier member 610 and the lower barrier member 620, when a fire occurs in any of the battery cells 200, heat can be concentrated in the fire extinguishing tube 310, and a portion of the fire extinguishing tube 310 can be melted, which allows rapid initial fire extinguishing.

[0117] Hereinafter, the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0118] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, Figure 1 and Figure 5 When a fire occurs in any of the battery cells 200, the fire extinguishing tube 310 is melted due to the heat of the fire, creating a passage for spraying the fire extinguishing agent 400. The fire extinguishing agent 400 sprayed to the outside of the fire extinguishing tube 310 is injected toward the battery cell 200 in which the fire has occurred, and thus is able to directly cool the battery cell 200 in which the fire has occurred.

[0119] After the fire extinguishing agent 400 is directly injected onto the battery cell 200 in which the fire has occurred, the sprayed liquid fire extinguishing agent 400 accumulates on the bottom portion of the lower panel 500. In addition, the fire extinguishing agent 400 guided in the width direction (W) and the longitudinal direction (D) of the lower panel 500 is uniformly delivered to the upper side 512 of the lower panel 500, so that the bottom portion of the battery cell 200 is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent 400. Through the fire extinguishing agent 400 accumulated inside the housing portion 100, the battery cell 200 in which the fire has occurred and other battery cells 200 placed adjacent thereto are continuously cooled.

[0120] Since the fire extinguishing agent 400 is directly injected into the housing portion 100, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a fire, and it is possible to cause cooling of the flammable portion by establishing a fire-extinguishing atmosphere inside the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function.

[0121] Figure 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a fire has occurred in any of the battery cells 200 according to some embodiments of the disclosure, Figure 14is a graphical representation of the temperature of the battery cell 200 at which a fire is extinguished by the operation of the energy storage device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0122] As shown in Figure 13 and Figure 14 , the first battery 220 and the second battery 230 are installed at both sides of the on-fire battery 210, assuming that the fourth battery 250 is installed at a position facing the on-fire battery 210 with the fire extinguishing pipe disposed therebetween, and the third battery 240 and the fifth battery 260 are installed at both sides of the fourth battery 250.

[0123] Since the fire occurs in the on-fire battery 210, the fire extinguishing pipe 310 melts to initially extinguish the fire in the on-fire battery 210, the liquid level of the fire extinguishing agent 400 discharged from the fire extinguishing pipe 310 gradually increases, the battery cell 200 is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent 400, and the fire occurring in the on-fire battery 210 is extinguished.

[0124] As shown in the graph of Figure 14 , it can be seen that the temperature of the on-fire battery 210 decreases at the point "B1" at which the fire extinguishing agent 400 is sprayed, and the fire of the on-fire battery 210 is extinguished over time.

[0125] In addition, as the spraying time of the fire extinguishing agent 400 increases, the temperature of the first battery 220 to the fifth battery 260 gradually decreases as the temperature of the on-fire battery 210 increases.

[0126] As described above, according to some embodiments of the disclosure, the fire extinguishing pipe 310 supplying the fire extinguishing agent 400 extends to the inside of the housing portion 100, and the fire extinguishing agent 400 can be directly sprayed into the inside of the housing portion 200, thereby reducing the time and cost required for extinguishing. In addition, when a fire occurs, by supplying the fire extinguishing agent 400 to the inside of the housing portion 100, the battery module can be immersed in the fire extinguishing agent 400, thereby relatively quickly extinguishing the fire. Furthermore, since the fire extinguishing agent 400 can be directly supplied to the battery module in which a fire has occurred, the fire can be extinguished at an early stage, and damage caused by the fire can be minimized or reduced. In addition, the fire extinguishing pipe 310 is made of a material that melts by heat generated by a fire, and when a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing pipe 310 melts to stably supply the fire extinguishing agent 400, thereby relatively improving the operation reliability of the fire extinguishing unit 300.

[0127] As described above, according to some embodiments of the disclosure, in the energy storage device having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the disclosure, the fire extinguishing pipe supplying the fire extinguishing agent extends to the inside of the housing, and the fire extinguishing agent can be directly sprayed into the inside of the housing, thereby saving the cost and time required for extinguishing.

[0128] In addition, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, when a fire occurs, the fire can be relatively quickly extinguished by supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the inside of the housing portion so that the battery module can be immersed in the fire extinguishing agent.

[0129] In addition, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, by supplying a fire extinguishing agent directly to the battery module in which a fire has occurred, the fire can be extinguished at an early stage, thereby minimizing or reducing damage due to the fire.

[0130] In addition, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the fire extinguishing pipe can be made of a material that melts due to heat generated by a fire, and when a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing agent can be stably supplied while the fire extinguishing pipe melts, thereby relatively improving the operation reliability of the fire extinguishing unit.

Claims

1. An energy storage device, characterized by, The energy storage device includes: a housing having an installation space inside thereof; a plurality of battery cells installed inside the housing; and a fire extinguishing unit extending to the inside of the housing and configured to supply a fire extinguishing agent, wherein the fire extinguishing unit is configured to supply the fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space while being melted at a threshold or higher temperature.

2. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein, The fire extinguishing unit includes: a fire extinguishing tube extending in a longitudinal direction of the housing and configured to supply the fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space through a portion melted by heat; and a connection tube connecting the fire extinguishing tube and a supply tube outside the housing.

3. The energy storage device of claim 2, wherein, A melting temperature of the fire extinguishing tube is in a range between 80℃ and 300℃.

4. The energy storage device of claim 2, wherein, A material of the fire extinguishing tube is a plastic material.

5. The energy storage device of claim 2, wherein, The material of the fire extinguishing tube is at least one of polypropylene, linear low-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide 6, and polyamide 66.

6. The energy storage device of claim 2, wherein, An inner diameter of the fire extinguishing tube is in a range of 3mm~20mm.

7. The energy storage device of claim 2, wherein, The fire extinguishing tube is installed in a state of facing a lateral side of the battery cell.

8. The energy storage device of claim 7, wherein, The plurality of battery cells are arranged in a plurality of rows in a width direction of the housing, and the fire extinguishing tube is placed between the rows of the battery cells.

9. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein, The energy storage device further includes a lower panel between a bottom surface of the housing and the battery cells to support a bottom portion of the battery cells and block movement of the fire extinguishing agent supplied through the fire extinguishing unit to the bottom surface of the housing.

10. The energy storage device of claim 9, wherein, The lower panel includes: a panel body installed in a plate shape between the bottom surface of the housing and the battery cells to block the movement of the fire extinguishing agent; a first guide on an upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a longitudinal direction of the housing to guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent; and a second guide on the upper side of the panel body and guiding the movement of the fire extinguishing agent by forming a flow path in a width direction of the housing.

11. An energy storage device with fire extinguishing function, characterized in that, The energy storage device includes: a housing having an installation space inside thereof; a plurality of battery cells inside the housing; a fire extinguishing unit extending to the inside of the housing and configured to supply a fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space; and a lower panel between a bottom surface of the housing and the battery cells to support a bottom portion of the battery cells and block movement of the fire extinguishing agent toward the bottom surface of the housing so as to enable storage of ejection of the fire extinguishing agent from the fire extinguishing unit inside the housing.

12. The energy storage device of claim 11, wherein, The lower panel includes: a panel body having a plate shape to block the movement of the fire extinguishing agent between the bottom surface of the housing and the battery cells; a first guide on an upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a longitudinal direction of the housing to guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent; a second guide on the upper side of the panel body and forming a flow path in a width direction of the housing to guide the movement of the fire extinguishing agent; and A support protrusion protruding upward from the panel body and supporting the bottom portion of the battery cell.

13. The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein, The lower panel further includes an edge member protruding upward from an edge of the panel body and supporting a lateral side of the battery cell.

14. The energy storage device of claim 11, wherein, The lower panel is made of an insulating material.

15. The energy storage device of claim 11, wherein, The fire extinguishing unit includes: A fire extinguishing pipe extending along a longitudinal direction of the case and configured to supply the fire extinguishing agent to at least one of the plurality of battery cells or the installation space through a portion melted by heat; and A connection pipe connecting the fire extinguishing pipe and a supply pipe outside the case.

16. The energy storage device of claim 15, wherein, A material of the fire extinguishing pipe is at least one of polypropylene, linear low-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide 6, and polyamide 66.

17. The energy storage device of claim 15, wherein, The plurality of battery cells are arranged in a plurality of rows along a width direction of the case, and the fire extinguishing pipe is between the rows of battery cells.

18. The energy storage device of claim 17, wherein, The fire extinguishing pipe is installed in a state of facing a lateral side of the battery cell.

19. The energy storage device of claim 17, wherein, The energy storage device further includes a flame barrier member together with the fire extinguishing pipe between the rows of battery cells to block flame propagation between adjacent battery cells.

20. The energy storage device of claim 19, wherein, The flame barrier member includes: An upper barrier member in a plate shape on an upper side of the fire extinguishing pipe; and A lower barrier member in a plate shape on a lower side of the fire extinguishing pipe.

21. The energy storage device of claim 15, wherein, A melting temperature of the fire extinguishing pipe is in a range between 80℃ and 300℃.

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