A thermal management system for an energy storage cabinet and an energy storage device

Abstract

This application discloses a thermal management system and energy storage device for an energy storage cabinet. The thermal management system includes a cabinet, a door, an air conditioning system, a detection component, an air intake component, and an exhaust component. At least multiple battery packs are installed inside the cabinet. The door is hinged to the cabinet and can be opened or closed. The air conditioning system is located inside the door. The detection component is configured to detect the presence of combustible gas inside the cabinet. The air intake component is configured to introduce outside air into the cabinet when the detection component detects combustible gas inside. The exhaust component is configured to expel gas from the cabinet when the detection component detects combustible gas inside. When the thermal management system detects combustible gas inside the cabinet, the air intake and exhaust components operate simultaneously, working in conjunction with the air conditioning system to dissipate heat from the inside of the cabinet. Simultaneously, it can quickly expel the flue gas generated inside the cabinet, achieving rapid and effective control of battery pack thermal runaway.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of industrial and commercial energy storage technology, and in particular relates to an energy storage cabinet thermal management system and energy storage equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the new energy industry, lithium batteries, with their advantages of high energy density, long cycle life, and low self-discharge rate, have become a core component of industrial and commercial energy storage systems. Under extreme conditions such as overcharging, over-discharging, high temperatures, or mechanical shock, lithium batteries are prone to diaphragm collapse and internal short circuits, leading to electrolyte decomposition and a chain reaction of exothermic reactions in the active materials, ultimately resulting in a thermal runaway state with a sudden increase in local temperature (500-1000℃). This process generates flammable gases (such as H2 and CO), posing multiple challenges to the sealing of energy storage cabinets, heat dissipation pathways, and fire suppression systems.

[0003] With the high-density deployment of battery packs inside energy storage cabinets, the thermal runaway problem of lithium batteries has become a key technical bottleneck restricting large-scale applications. Existing energy storage cabinets usually control the temperature inside the cabinet through an air conditioning system installed inside the cabinet. However, when the battery inside the cabinet experiences thermal runaway, the temperature inside the cabinet rises rapidly and generates a large amount of smoke. The air conditioning system alone cannot quickly cool down the inside of the cabinet or remove the smoke in time. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a thermal management system for an energy storage cabinet to solve the aforementioned problems existing in the energy storage cabinets of the prior art; another purpose of this application is to provide an energy storage device including the thermal management system for the energy storage cabinet.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the following technical solution is adopted in this application:

[0006] In a first aspect, this application proposes an energy storage cabinet thermal management system, which includes a cabinet body, a door, an air conditioning system, a detection component, an air intake component, and an exhaust component, wherein:

[0007] The cabinet is equipped with at least a number of battery packs, and the door is hinged to the cabinet so as to be opened or closed.

[0008] The air conditioning system is located inside the door and is configured to control the temperature inside the cabinet.

[0009] The detection component is disposed inside the cabinet, and the detection component is configured to at least detect whether there is combustible gas inside the cabinet in order to control the operation of the air intake component and the air exhaust component.

[0010] An air inlet is provided at the bottom of the cabinet, and an air intake component is provided at the air inlet. The air intake component is configured to send outside air into the cabinet when the detection component detects that there is combustible gas inside the cabinet.

[0011] The top of the cabinet is provided with an exhaust port, and the exhaust assembly is disposed at the exhaust port. The exhaust assembly is configured to exhaust the gas inside the cabinet when the detection assembly detects that there is combustible gas inside the cabinet.

[0012] Optionally, the exhaust assembly includes a first drive member, a first sealing plate, and a first fan, wherein:

[0013] The first sealing plate can be installed on the cabinet near or away from the exhaust port. The driving end of the first driving member is connected to the first sealing plate. The first driving member drives the first sealing plate to move near or away from the exhaust port to close or open the exhaust port.

[0014] The first fan is mounted on the first sealing plate, and the exhaust port is opened when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet. The first fan is configured to send the gas inside the cabinet into the external environment after the exhaust port is opened.

[0015] Optionally, the intake assembly includes a second drive member and a second sealing plate, wherein:

[0016] The second sealing plate can be installed on the cabinet near or away from the air inlet. The driving end of the second driving member is connected to the second sealing plate. The second driving member drives the second sealing plate to move near or away from the air inlet to close or open the air inlet.

[0017] Optionally, the detection component includes a temperature detector, a smoke detector, a gas detector, and an alarm, wherein:

[0018] The temperature detector is configured to detect the temperature inside the cabinet in real time;

[0019] The smoke detector is configured to detect the smoke content inside the cabinet in real time;

[0020] The gas detector is configured to detect the concentration of a specified gas inside the cabinet in real time;

[0021] The alarm is configured to control the operation of the intake assembly and the exhaust assembly based on the detection results of the temperature detector, the smoke detector, and the gas detector.

[0022] Optionally, the air intake assembly is located at the bottom of the back panel of the cabinet, and the exhaust assembly is located at the top of the door.

[0023] Optionally, the top of the cabinet is provided with a quick-opening explosion relief plate, which is configured to open when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet, thereby implementing directional pressure relief.

[0024] Optionally, the top of the cabinet is also equipped with an aerosol fire extinguisher and a water spray interface. The water spray interface is connected to an external fire protection pipeline. The aerosol fire extinguisher and the water spray interface are configured to extinguish the battery pack inside the cabinet when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet.

[0025] Optionally, the air inlet and air outlet of the air conditioning system are both located on the outer side of the door, and a dustproof net covering the air inlet and air outlet is fixedly installed on the outer side of the door. A dustproof filter covering the air inlet and air outlet is detachably installed on the inner side of the door.

[0026] Secondly, this application proposes an energy storage device, which includes an energy storage cabinet thermal management system, a high-voltage box, and a PCS converter as described above, wherein:

[0027] The cabinet is divided into a first storage space and a second storage space along the height direction. The first storage space is provided with multiple storage positions along the height direction. Each storage position is configured to store a group of battery packs. The groups of battery packs are connected in series or in parallel.

[0028] The high-voltage box is located in the second storage space, and the high-voltage box is directly connected to the battery pack via a cable.

[0029] The PCS converter is connected to the DC positive and negative parallel copper busbars and then electrically connected to the high voltage box.

[0030] Optionally, the PCS converter is suspended on the outside of the cabinet via a suspension bracket. The suspension bracket has multiple inlet ports, through which the three-phase cable, photovoltaic cable, important load cable, diesel generator or photovoltaic inverter cable, and communication cable of the PCS converter are connected to the power grid, photovoltaic modules, important load, diesel generator or photovoltaic inverter, and communication equipment respectively.

[0031] The energy storage device proposed in this application has the following advantages:

[0032] 1) By installing air intake and exhaust components on the cabinet, when combustible gas is detected inside the cabinet, the air intake and exhaust components work simultaneously, enabling rapid air circulation between the inside and outside of the cabinet. This, in conjunction with the air conditioning system, dissipates heat from the inside of the cabinet and quickly exhausts the smoke generated inside the cabinet. This achieves rapid and effective control of thermal runaway of the battery pack and improves the safety of the energy storage cabinet.

[0033] 2) The intake and exhaust components are rationally laid out, have a simple structure, and are easy to implement;

[0034] 3) The detection components have high detection accuracy, small detection error, and high accuracy rate;

[0035] 4) Through the combined use of explosion relief panels, aerosol fire extinguishers, and water spray interfaces, rapid fire suppression of the battery pack inside the cabinet was achieved;

[0036] 5) The PCS converter is suspended on the outside of the cabinet, which reduces the heat load inside the cabinet and supports seamless switching between on-grid and off-grid. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the exhaust assembly of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a side view schematic diagram of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0043] Firstly, this application proposes a thermal management system for an energy storage cabinet, as shown in the figure. Figure 1As shown, the energy storage cabinet thermal management system proposed in this application includes a cabinet 10, a door 20, an air conditioning system 30, a detection component, an air intake component 40, and an exhaust component 50. At least multiple battery packs 60 are installed inside the cabinet 10. The door 20 is hinged to the cabinet 10 and can be opened or closed. The air conditioning system 30 is located inside the door 20 and is configured to control the temperature inside the cabinet 10. The detection component is located inside the cabinet 10 and is configured to detect whether there is any [something] inside the cabinet 10. Combustible gas is used to control the operation of the air intake assembly 40 and the exhaust assembly 50; an air intake port is provided at the bottom of the cabinet 10, and the air intake assembly 40 is located at the air intake port. The air intake assembly 40 is configured to send outside air into the cabinet 10 when the detection assembly detects that there is combustible gas inside the cabinet 10; an exhaust port 11 is provided at the top of the cabinet 10, and the exhaust assembly 50 is located at the exhaust port 11. The exhaust assembly 50 is configured to exhaust the gas inside the cabinet 10 when the detection assembly 50 detects that there is combustible gas inside the cabinet 10.

[0044] Specifically, the cabinet 10 includes four uprights. The two uprights closest to the door 20 have multiple round holes evenly spaced along the height direction. The diameter of the round holes is smaller than the width of the uprights to facilitate air circulation inside the cabinet 10 and cooling of the battery pack. The top of the uprights also has a protrusion that protrudes from the cabinet 10 to facilitate top lifting and installation.

[0045] Specifically, cabinet 10 uses a galvanized steel plate frame with welded reinforcing ribs, and the surface is treated with a C5-M grade anti-corrosion coating; the protection level of cabinet 10 is IP55, which is suitable for outdoor salt spray, dust and rain environments.

[0046] Specifically, the battery pack 60 uses 280Ah high-capacity lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, with a single cabinet capacity covering 57-100kWh and an energy density of 180-200Wh / kg. It supports a modular stacking scheme for "on-demand expansion" to meet users' needs for flexible deployment.

[0047] The energy storage cabinet thermal management system proposed in this application, by setting an air intake component 40 and an exhaust component 50 on the cabinet 10, allows the air intake component 40 and the exhaust component 50 to work simultaneously when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet 10. External air enters the cabinet 10 through the air intake component 40, while the exhaust component 50 draws the gas inside the cabinet 10 to the outside, enabling rapid air circulation between the inside and outside of the cabinet 10. This, in conjunction with the air conditioning system 30, dissipates heat from the inside of the cabinet 10 and rapidly exhausts the flue gas generated in the cabinet 10, achieving rapid and effective control of thermal runaway of the battery pack 60. Furthermore, by placing the air conditioning system 30 inside the door 20, the internal space of the cabinet 10 is fully utilized, reducing the overall space occupied by the cabinet 10. This also facilitates subsequent maintenance and repair of the air conditioning system 30.

[0048] In one embodiment, the exhaust assembly 50 includes a first drive member, a first sealing plate 51, and a first fan 52. The first sealing plate 51 is mounted on the cabinet 10 near or away from the exhaust port 11. The drive end of the first drive member is connected to the first sealing plate 51. The first drive member drives the first sealing plate 51 to move near or away from the exhaust port 11 to close or open the exhaust port 11. The first fan 52 is mounted on the first sealing plate 51. When the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet 10, the exhaust port 11 opens. The first fan 52 is configured to send the gas inside the cabinet 10 into the external environment after the exhaust port 11 is opened.

[0049] Specifically, under normal conditions, the first sealing plate 51 is pressed against the outer edge of the exhaust port 11, thereby sealing the exhaust port 11. When the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet 10, the first driving component drives the first sealing plate 51 to move outward away from the exhaust port 11, thereby opening the exhaust port 11. After the exhaust port 11 is opened, the first fan 52 works to send the gas inside the cabinet 10 into the external environment.

[0050] Specifically, the first driving component can be any one of a cylinder, electromagnet, or motor.

[0051] As can be seen, the automatic opening and closing of the exhaust port 11 is achieved through the cooperation of the first driving component, the first sealing plate 51 and the first fan 52, providing an exhaust assembly 50 with a simple structure and stable and reliable operation.

[0052] In one embodiment, the air intake assembly 40 includes a second drive member and a second sealing plate. The second sealing plate is mounted on the cabinet 10 near or away from the air intake. The drive end of the second drive member is connected to the second sealing plate. The second drive member drives the second sealing plate to move near or away from the air intake to close or open the air intake.

[0053] Specifically, under normal conditions, the second sealing plate is pressed against the outer edge of the air inlet, thereby sealing the air inlet. When the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet 10, the second driving component drives the second sealing plate to move outward away from the air inlet, thereby opening the air inlet so that outside air can enter the cabinet 10 through the air inlet.

[0054] Specifically, the second driving component can be either a cylinder or an electromagnet.

[0055] As can be seen, the automatic opening and closing of the air inlet is achieved through the cooperation of the second driving component and the second sealing plate, providing an air intake component 40 with a simple structure and stable and reliable operation.

[0056] In one implementation, the detection components include a temperature detector 70, a smoke detector 71, a gas detector 72, and an alarm 73. The temperature detector 70 is configured to detect the temperature inside the cabinet 10 in real time; the smoke detector 71 is configured to detect the smoke content inside the cabinet 10 in real time; the gas detector 72 is configured to detect the concentration of a specified gas inside the cabinet 10 in real time; and the alarm 73 is configured to control the operation of the air intake assembly 40 and the exhaust assembly 50 based on the detection results of the temperature detector 70, the smoke detector 71, and the gas detector 72.

[0057] Specifically, the designated gas is combustible gas such as H2 and CO.

[0058] As can be seen, by installing a temperature detector 70, a flue gas detector 71, and a gas detector 72 inside the cabinet 10, real-time detection of the temperature, flue gas, and concentration of a specified gas inside the cabinet 10 is achieved, providing a detection component with high detection accuracy, small detection error, and high precision.

[0059] In one implementation, the air intake assembly 40 is located at the bottom of the back panel of the cabinet 10, and the exhaust assembly 50 is located at the top of the door 20.

[0060] It can be seen that by setting the air intake component 40 and the exhaust component 50, a three-dimensional air circulation path from bottom to top is formed inside the cabinet 10, which is conducive to the rapid circulation of air inside the cabinet 10.

[0061] In one implementation, the top of the cabinet 10 is provided with a quick-opening explosion relief plate 12, which is configured to open when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet 10, thereby implementing directional pressure relief.

[0062] In one implementation, the top of the cabinet 10 is also equipped with an aerosol fire extinguisher 13 and a water spray interface 14. The water spray interface 14 is connected to an external fire pipeline. The aerosol fire extinguisher 13 and the water spray interface 14 are configured to extinguish the battery pack 60 inside the cabinet 10 when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet 10.

[0063] It can be seen that the rapid extinguishing of the thermal runaway battery pack 60 was achieved through the dual fire extinguishing of the aerosol fire extinguisher 13 and the water spray interface 14.

[0064] In one implementation, the air inlet 31 and air outlet 32 ​​of the air conditioning system 30 are both located on the outer side of the door 20. A dustproof net 33 covering the air inlet 31 and air outlet 32 ​​is fixedly installed on the outer side of the door 20, and a dustproof filter covering the air inlet 31 and air outlet 32 ​​is detachably installed on the inner side of the door 20.

[0065] As one implementation method, M20 D-type shackles (single-point breaking strength ≥ 20 tons) are pre-embedded at the top four corners of the cabinet 10, and the opening direction of the shackles is consistent with the direction of the slings; four-hook slings must be used for hoisting to prevent the cabinet 10 from tilting.

[0066] Secondly, this application embodiment also provides an energy storage device, which includes the above-mentioned energy storage cabinet thermal management system, high voltage box 80 and PCS converter 81. The cabinet 10 is divided into a first storage space 15 and a second storage space 16 along the height direction. The first storage space 15 is provided with a plurality of storage positions 150 along the height direction. Each storage position 150 is configured to store a group of battery packs 60. The battery packs 60 are connected in series or in parallel. The high voltage box 80 is disposed in the second storage space 16 and is directly connected to the battery packs 60 through cables. The PCS converter 81 is connected to the high voltage box 80 after being connected to the DC positive and negative parallel copper busbars.

[0067] In one implementation, the PCS converter 81 is suspended on the outside of the cabinet 10 via a suspension bracket 82. The suspension bracket 82 has multiple inlet ports 820. The three-phase cables, photovoltaic cables, important load cables, diesel generator or photovoltaic inverter cables, and communication cables of the PCS converter 81 are connected to the power grid, photovoltaic modules, important loads, diesel generator or photovoltaic inverters, and communication equipment through the inlet ports 820 respectively.

[0068] It can be seen that by suspending the PCS converter 81 on the outside of the cabinet 10, the heat load inside the cabinet 10 is reduced, while supporting seamless switching between grid and off-grid.

[0069] As one implementation, an uninterruptible power supply 83 (UPS) is also installed in the second storage space 16.

[0070] After the air intake component 40 and exhaust component 50 of the above-mentioned energy storage cabinet thermal management system are working, if a fire occurs inside the cabinet 10, the temperature inside the cabinet 10 will rise and the smoke concentration will increase, triggering the alarms of the temperature detector 70 and the smoke detector 71. The aerosol fire extinguisher 13 will start a countdown, and the aerosol in the aerosol fire extinguisher 13 will start to spray after about 30 seconds. During this 30-second delay, the EMS will control the exhaust component 50 and the air intake component 40 to close the air inlet and exhaust outlet 11, so that the cabinet 10 forms a sealed environment, ensuring that the aerosol is sprayed in a sealed environment, thereby achieving a better fire extinguishing effect.

[0071] If the smoke and temperature sensors inside cabinet 10 are not triggered simultaneously, it indicates that there is no open flame or combustion phenomenon in cabinet 10 for the time being. The exhaust assembly 50 will remain open and running, continuously expelling combustible gas from cabinet 10. The EMS platform will also alarm and notify maintenance personnel to rush to the site for inspection. Afterwards, if the fire and triggering cause are ruled out on site, the gas detector 72 can be manually de-energized and reset after the maintenance is completed. After successful reset, the system controls the exhaust assembly 50 and the intake assembly 40 to close the intake and exhaust ports 11.

[0072] The above embodiments merely illustrate the basic principles and characteristics of this application. This application is not limited to the above examples. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of this application as claimed. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for an energy storage cabinet, characterized in that, The energy storage cabinet thermal management system includes a cabinet body, a door, an air conditioning system, a detection component, an air intake component, and an exhaust component, wherein: The cabinet is equipped with at least a number of battery packs, and the door is hinged to the cabinet so as to be opened or closed. The air conditioning system is located inside the door and is configured to control the temperature inside the cabinet. The detection component is disposed inside the cabinet, and the detection component is configured to at least detect whether there is combustible gas inside the cabinet in order to control the operation of the air intake component and the air exhaust component. An air inlet is provided at the bottom of the cabinet, and an air intake component is provided at the air inlet. The air intake component is configured to send outside air into the cabinet when the detection component detects that there is combustible gas inside the cabinet. The top of the cabinet is provided with an exhaust port, and the exhaust assembly is disposed at the exhaust port. The exhaust assembly is configured to exhaust the gas inside the cabinet when the detection assembly detects that there is combustible gas inside the cabinet.

2. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust assembly includes a first drive element, a first sealing plate, and a first fan, wherein: The first sealing plate can be installed on the cabinet near or away from the exhaust port. The driving end of the first driving member is connected to the first sealing plate. The first driving member drives the first sealing plate to move near or away from the exhaust port to close or open the exhaust port. The first fan is mounted on the first sealing plate, and the exhaust port is opened when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet. The first fan is configured to send the gas inside the cabinet into the external environment after the exhaust port is opened.

3. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air intake assembly includes a second drive element and a second sealing plate, wherein: The second sealing plate can be installed on the cabinet near or away from the air inlet. The driving end of the second driving member is connected to the second sealing plate. The second driving member drives the second sealing plate to move near or away from the air inlet to close or open the air inlet.

4. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection components include a temperature detector, a smoke detector, a gas detector, and an alarm, wherein: The temperature detector is configured to detect the temperature inside the cabinet in real time; The smoke detector is configured to detect the smoke content inside the cabinet in real time; The gas detector is configured to detect the concentration of a specified gas inside the cabinet in real time; The alarm is configured to control the operation of the intake assembly and the exhaust assembly based on the detection results of the temperature detector, the smoke detector, and the gas detector.

5. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake assembly is located at the bottom of the back panel of the cabinet, and the exhaust assembly is located at the top of the door.

6. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the cabinet is equipped with a quick-opening explosion relief plate, which is configured to open when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet, thereby implementing directional pressure relief.

7. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the cabinet is also equipped with an aerosol fire extinguisher and a water spray interface. The water spray interface is connected to an external fire protection pipeline. The aerosol fire extinguisher and water spray interface are configured to extinguish the battery pack inside the cabinet when the detection component detects combustible gas inside the cabinet.

8. The energy storage cabinet thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet and outlet of the air conditioning system are both located on the outer side of the door. A dustproof net covering the air inlet and outlet is fixedly installed on the outer side of the door, and a dustproof filter covering the air inlet and outlet is detachably installed on the inner side of the door.

9. An energy storage device, characterized in that, The energy storage device includes the energy storage cabinet thermal management system, high-voltage box, and PCS converter as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein: The cabinet is divided into a first storage space and a second storage space along the height direction. The first storage space is provided with multiple storage positions along the height direction. Each storage position is configured to store a group of battery packs, and the groups of battery packs are connected in series. The high-voltage box is located in the second storage space, and the high-voltage box is directly connected to the battery pack via a cable. The PCS converter is connected to the DC positive and negative parallel copper busbars and then electrically connected to the high voltage box.

10. The energy storage device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The PCS converter is suspended on the outside of the cabinet via a suspension bracket. The suspension bracket has multiple inlet ports. The three-phase cable, photovoltaic cable, important load cable, diesel generator or photovoltaic inverter cable, and communication cable of the PCS converter are connected to the power grid, photovoltaic modules, important loads, diesel generator or photovoltaic inverter, and communication equipment through the inlet ports.

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