Immersion type electrochemical energy storage container based on interconnection and intercommunication of spherical battery cells

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of immersed electrochemical energy storage container based on spherical battery unit interconnection, wherein, battery system is constituted by multiple spherical battery units or small capacity spherical battery pack, multiple battery units or small capacity spherical battery pack are tightly stacked in container body according to specific geometric arrangement mode;Container body is provided with modular frame structure, and spherical recess or clamp that is adapted to the appearance of spherical battery unit or small capacity spherical battery pack is equipped on the frame, and each spherical battery unit or small capacity spherical battery pack is fixed and positioned, and ordered gap network is formed.The utility model improves space utilization by the efficient stacking mode of spherical battery unit, enhances heat management and fire extinguishing effect, and improves the intelligence and safety of battery system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electrochemical energy storage technology, and in particular to an immersion electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, electrochemical energy storage containers generally use rectangular (square) lithium-ion battery packs as the core battery units.

[0003] However, this structure has several shortcomings in practical applications. First, the need to reserve heat dissipation or maintenance channels between prismatic battery packs limits space utilization and fails to fully leverage the internal space potential of the container. Second, thermal management of prismatic packs presents problems, especially in the event of thermal runaway. Heat easily accumulates inside and between prismatic battery cells, and once thermal runaway occurs, its spread is extremely rapid. Traditional fire suppression systems, such as top sprinklers or perfluorohexanone, struggle to quickly and evenly penetrate the narrow gaps between battery cells, making effective fire suppression and cooling difficult. Third, information interconnection also faces challenges. Each prismatic battery pack typically requires an independent battery management system (BMS) for data acquisition, which not only results in numerous and complex wiring harnesses but also increases costs and increases susceptibility to failure. Fourth, state awareness is insufficient. Deploying sensors for temperature, gas, and pressure in the gaps between prismatic battery packs is extremely difficult, resulting in complex wiring and hindering comprehensive monitoring of the battery's microenvironment. Finally, the fire extinguishing agent has poor flowability. Because the channels after the square battery pack is stacked are relatively fixed and may be restricted, the fire extinguishing agent is difficult to cover the surface of the battery cells evenly and quickly, resulting in an unsatisfactory fire extinguishing effect. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model aims to at least partially solve one of the technical problems in the related art.

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of this utility model is to propose an immersion electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes an immersion electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells, comprising:

[0007] Container body and battery system, including:

[0008] The battery system consists of multiple spherical battery units or small-capacity spherical battery packs. Each spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack contains multiple cells, which are connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel configurations.

[0009] Multiple spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs are tightly stacked inside a container in a specific geometric arrangement, including face-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packing, or variations thereof.

[0010] The container body is equipped with a modular frame structure, on which there are spherical grooves or clamps that fit the shape of the spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack, fixing and positioning each spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack, and forming an orderly gap network.

[0011] Optionally, the spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack has a rigid or semi-rigid housing with good thermal conductivity, insulation and chemical stability, and can withstand the effects of fire extinguishing agents.

[0012] Optionally, the container is equipped with a pre-installed communication cable / bus interface or wireless communication module. Each spherical battery cell or small-capacity spherical battery pack is connected to the pre-installed network through a standardized interface on its shell to realize real-time monitoring and transmission of the battery cell's voltage, current, and temperature.

[0013] Optionally, a fire protection system may also be included, wherein:

[0014] The fire protection system adopts an immersion fire extinguishing scheme. Through an integrated multi-hole pipe network system, the fire protection system uses main pipelines, branch pipelines, and distributed nozzles / micro-holes to evenly and quickly spray the extinguishing agent onto the surface of spherical battery units or small-capacity spherical battery packs, achieving efficient fire extinguishing and cooling, and suppressing heat spread.

[0015] Optionally, distributed nozzles / micro-holes are spread throughout the branch pipes, evenly distributed in the gaps between spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs.

[0016] Optionally, various sensors are installed on the modular frame inside the container, including temperature sensors, smoke / gas sensors, pressure sensors, and humidity sensors. The sensor data is transmitted to the container-level BMS or safety monitoring system through a pre-set communication network for monitoring and early warning of the battery microenvironment.

[0017] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of this utility model brings at least the following beneficial effects: By using spherical battery units or small-capacity spherical battery packs instead of rectangular packs, and utilizing the gaps between them to achieve interconnection of information, extinguishing agents, and sensor networks, this avoids the problems of insufficient space utilization, thermal runaway propagation, and inconvenient information interconnection inherent in traditional square battery pack stacks. The efficient stacking method of spherical battery units improves space utilization, enhances thermal management and fire extinguishing effects, and simultaneously improves the intelligence and safety of the battery system. This utility model has strong thermal runaway suppression capabilities, convenient information transmission, and uniform extinguishing agent flow, significantly improving the overall performance and safety of energy storage containers.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this utility model will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an immersion electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an immersion electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells, provided as an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0023] Currently, electrochemical energy storage containers generally adopt a rectangular battery pack stacking scheme, but this structure has several technical problems that urgently need to be solved. First, the space utilization rate is low. Cooling and maintenance channels need to be reserved between the square battery packs, but the sharp corners of the square batteries create ineffective gaps during stacking, limiting the improvement of the container's energy density. Second, thermal management efficiency is insufficient and the risk of thermal runaway propagation is high. Heat easily accumulates inside and between square batteries, forming localized high-temperature zones. Once thermal runaway occurs, flames and high-temperature gases spread rapidly within the linear channels between battery packs, and traditional top spraying or aerosol fire extinguishing agents cannot penetrate these narrow gaps, making it difficult to quickly cover the battery surface and suppress chain reactions. Furthermore, existing fire protection systems have slow response and uneven coverage. Fire extinguishing agent pipelines are usually only laid around the battery pack perimeter, relying on gravity or gas diffusion to enter the pack gaps after discharge, resulting in slow penetration, uneven distribution, and dead zones at the bottom, failing to achieve second-level full immersion. There are also blind spots in battery status monitoring. Due to the narrow gaps between prismatic battery packs (typically less than 10cm), deploying sensors is extremely difficult. Existing temperature monitoring points are usually concentrated on the battery surface or terminals, making it impossible to capture early thermal runaway characteristics (such as gas leaks and micro-pressure changes) within the pack gaps in real time. Furthermore, the electrical and signal wiring is complex; each prismatic battery pack requires an independent BMS harness connection, resulting in a large number of cables, messy routing, difficult maintenance, and increased risks of poor contact and fault diagnosis. Finally, the system has poor scalability and maintainability. Prismatic battery packs have low modularity; replacing batteries requires disassembling the entire structure, and the fire suppression system and sensors are physically separated from the batteries, necessitating rewiring during upgrades.

[0024] This invention proposes a solution to the aforementioned problems through a "three-in-one design" (spherical battery cell + three-dimensional gap network + integrated frame). The structure of the spherical battery cell eliminates dead corners in the stacking, generating a continuous and interconnected gap network; the pre-embedded frame serves as a unified transport carrier for information, fire extinguishing agent, and sensors; and the triple interconnection breaks down the collaborative barriers between battery management, fire response, and status awareness, thereby improving the system's performance and safety.

[0025] An embodiment of this utility model provides an immersed electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells, such as... Figure 1As shown, the container comprises a container body 1 and a battery system 2. The battery system consists of multiple spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs. Each spherical battery cell or small-capacity spherical battery pack contains multiple battery cells, which are connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel configurations. This structure provides high flexibility in battery system design, enabling it to meet different voltage and capacity requirements and adapt to energy storage needs in various scenarios. In different electrochemical energy storage scenarios, the configuration of the battery system can be flexibly adjusted as needed to cope with different load demands and operating environments.

[0026] Multiple spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs are tightly stacked within a shipping container in a specific geometric arrangement. This arrangement includes face-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packing, or variations thereof, ensuring optimal space allocation between each battery cell. Compared to traditional square battery pack stacking, the spherical battery cells are stacked more densely, reducing gaps during stacking and effectively improving space utilization within the container, thus increasing the energy density of the energy storage container. Furthermore, this geometric arrangement reduces heat exchange time between different battery cells, enhancing overall thermal management and reducing the risk of thermal runaway caused by heat accumulation.

[0027] To ensure the stability and consistency of the battery cells within the container, the container body is equipped with a modular frame structure. This frame structure features spherical grooves or clamps that conform to the shape of the spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs, used to secure and position each cell. In this way, the frame not only ensures the stable stacking of the battery cells but also forms an orderly network of gaps. This network of gaps not only facilitates the thermal management of the batteries and the layout of fire suppression systems but also provides sufficient space for other systems within the container (such as sensor networks and communication networks), ensuring the efficient operation of each system.

[0028] Furthermore, the spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs feature rigid or semi-rigid casings made of materials with excellent thermal conductivity, insulation, and chemical stability, effectively resisting the effects of extinguishing agents. The casing design considers thermal management and safety, effectively preventing excessive heat accumulation in the event of thermal runaway and rapidly dissipating heat into the container environment through its superior thermal conductivity. Simultaneously, the casing's chemical stability ensures it will not corrode or deform when exposed to extinguishing agents (such as perfluorohexanone), ensuring uniform penetration and rapid coverage of the battery surface, effectively suppressing heat spread and flame propagation.

[0029] This design provides a battery system structure with higher space utilization, stronger thermal management capabilities, and enhanced safety. This structure not only significantly improves the overall energy density of the energy storage container and reduces the equipment's footprint, but also greatly enhances the container's safety and stability under extreme conditions. Furthermore, the modular and integrated design of the spherical battery cells makes the system easier to maintain and upgrade, especially in terms of scalability and maintainability. Compared to traditional prismatic battery systems, this design offers greater adaptability and flexibility. Overall, the battery system structure provided by this invention significantly improves battery management efficiency and overall system safety, is suitable for modern electrochemical energy storage containers, meets the growing energy storage demands, and provides a new direction for future energy storage technology development.

[0030] Furthermore, pre-installed communication cables / buses (such as CAN bus, Ethernet) or wireless communication modules (such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), LoRa) are integrated within the modular framework or on the surface of the spherical unit / pack housing. These connection points or interfaces provide a unified, standardized platform, allowing each spherical unit / pack to easily connect to a pre-defined communication network via standardized interfaces on the housing (whether through physical plug-in or wireless pairing). Through this design, each spherical unit / pack within the container can achieve efficient data exchange with the system, particularly for critical data such as battery voltage, current, and temperature, which can be directly and efficiently connected to the container-level battery management system (BMS).

[0031] This design significantly simplifies the wiring between battery cells. Traditional battery systems typically require complex cabling to connect each cell to the BMS, while this solution, through an integrated communication interface, reduces the amount of wiring and avoids the maintenance difficulties caused by complex wiring in traditional methods. Data transmission becomes more efficient and reliable through wireless connections or an integrated communication bus, reducing the risk of common failures such as cable wear and poor contact, and improving system stability and maintainability.

[0032] Furthermore, the standardized interface design makes system expansion much easier. When adding battery units or upgrading the system, simply connect the new spherical unit through the standardized interface; no complex rewiring or system debugging is required, greatly improving the scalability and flexibility of the containerized energy storage system.

[0033] In summary, this invention, through intelligent communication design, enables real-time monitoring and efficient transmission of data from battery units within the container, simplifies system layout, and greatly improves system reliability and ease of maintenance, providing a solid foundation for the intelligent and efficient operation of energy storage containers.

[0034] Furthermore, this invention also includes an advanced fire suppression system 3, which employs an immersion fire extinguishing method, such as perfluorohexanone, Novec 1230, or liquid coolant. This method can quickly and effectively extinguish the fire source in the event of thermal runaway or fire in the battery system, ensuring the safety of the battery system.

[0035] A multi-hole pipe network system is pre-embedded or integrated within or along the modular frame of the container. This pipe network system consists of several parts, including:

[0036] Main pipeline: The main pipeline connects the storage and release devices of the extinguishing agent and is responsible for delivering the extinguishing agent to the entire system. Through this pipeline, the extinguishing agent can be released from the storage device into the system quickly and efficiently.

[0037] Branch piping: Branch piping extends deep into the stacking gaps of spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs, ensuring that extinguishing agents can cover the gaps between each battery cell and hard-to-reach areas. Through precise layout and design, branch piping can effectively penetrate the area surrounding each battery cell, forming a wide coverage network.

[0038] Distributed nozzles / micro-orifices: These nozzles or micro-orifices are distributed along branch lines, evenly distributed in the gaps between spherical battery cells or small-capacity battery packs. When the fire suppression system is activated, the extinguishing agent is sprayed evenly, rapidly, and omnidirectionally through these distributed nozzles or micro-orifices, ensuring that the surface of each spherical battery cell is instantly surrounded and covered by the extinguishing agent.

[0039] This design ensures that, in the event of a fire, the extinguishing agent can rapidly and evenly penetrate the entire battery system, covering each spherical battery cell, immediately extinguishing the fire and cooling it, thereby suppressing the spread of the fire. Unlike traditional fire extinguishing methods, immersion fire suppression can achieve a response time within seconds, greatly improving fire extinguishing efficiency and effectively avoiding the risk of fire spreading inside the container.

[0040] Furthermore, the structure of the spherical battery cell itself facilitates the flow and coverage of the extinguishing agent. The smooth surface of the spherical structure allows the extinguishing agent to be distributed more evenly across the surface of the battery cell, ensuring effective coverage of each surface and thus enhancing the fire extinguishing effect. Through this innovative fire protection system design, this invention provides efficient and comprehensive fire extinguishing protection in energy storage containers, effectively improving the safety and reliability of the system.

[0041] Furthermore, in embodiments of this invention, various micro-sensors are installed on the modular frame, directly opposite the gaps formed by stacked spherical battery cells or small-capacity battery packs, to enable real-time monitoring of the battery system. These sensors include, but are not limited to, temperature sensors, smoke / gas sensors (such as VOC, H2, CO, etc.), pressure sensors, and humidity sensors. Specifically:

[0042] Temperature sensors are installed in the gaps, primarily to monitor the ambient temperature within the spheres. These sensors can capture real-time temperature changes inside the battery cells or containers, especially temperature fluctuations before and after thermal runaway, thus providing data support for the thermal management system and ensuring timely feedback on abnormal temperature conditions.

[0043] Smoke / gas sensors (such as VOCs, H2, CO, etc.) can detect characteristic gases produced by thermal runaway at an early stage. These gas sensors can quickly identify early warning signals of thermal runaway, such as gas leaks or increased gas concentrations inside the battery, which is crucial for preventing catastrophic events. By acquiring this data in real time, the system can promptly activate appropriate safety protection measures.

[0044] Pressure sensors are used to monitor pressure changes within the spherical gap. Thermal runaway can cause gas to build up inside the battery cell or container, leading to increased pressure. Pressure sensors can detect these pressure changes, providing timely feedback on potential thermal runaway risks and enhancing the system's responsiveness to abnormal situations.

[0045] Humidity sensors are used to monitor humidity levels inside the container. Excessive or insufficient humidity can affect the normal operation of the battery system, especially in certain environments where humidity changes can indirectly impact battery performance or lifespan. Therefore, monitoring ambient humidity through humidity sensors provides the system with more environmental parameters, contributing to overall operational safety and performance assurance.

[0046] These sensors connect directly to a pre-installed communication network via interfaces on the frame or wireless connections, ensuring efficient data transmission to the containerized battery management system (BMS) or safety monitoring system. The real-time data provided by these sensors can be used for battery system status awareness and early warning, promptly identifying potential risks and helping managers or automated systems react quickly, thereby effectively improving the safety and reliability of the battery system.

[0047] By integrating multiple sensors into a modular framework and connecting it to a container-level BMS or safety monitoring system, this invention achieves comprehensive monitoring of the battery microenvironment. This highly integrated state-awareness system enables early warning, proactively preventing various potential safety hazards and significantly improving the intelligent management level of energy storage containers.

[0048] As one possible implementation, the immersion electrochemical energy storage container with interconnected spherical battery cells proposed in this invention is such as... Figure 2 As shown, for ease of demonstration, only the base of the container is shown; the sensor components are not displayed. (See reference...) Figure 2 As can be seen in this example, the battery system consists of multiple spherical battery units, which are tightly stacked in a specific geometric arrangement inside the container. The container is equipped with a modular frame structure, and the frame has spherical grooves that fit the shape of the spherical battery units to fix each spherical battery unit. It can also be seen that the fire protection system adopts an immersion fire extinguishing scheme. The fire protection system uses an integrated multi-hole pipe network system, utilizing main pipelines, branch pipelines, and distributed nozzles / micro-holes.

[0049] It should be understood that the various forms of the process shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this utility model can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this utility model can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0050] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A submersible electrochemical energy storage container based on the interconnection of spherical battery cells, characterized in that, include: Container body and battery system, including: The battery system consists of multiple spherical battery units or small-capacity spherical battery packs. Each spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack contains multiple cells, which are connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel configurations. Multiple spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs are tightly stacked inside a container in a preset geometric arrangement, including face-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packing or variations thereof; The container body is equipped with a modular frame structure, on which there are spherical grooves or clamps that fit the shape of the spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack, fixing and positioning each spherical battery unit or small-capacity spherical battery pack, and forming an orderly gap network.

2. The submersible electrochemical energy storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that: Spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs have rigid or semi-rigid housings with good thermal conductivity, insulation and chemical stability, and are able to withstand the effects of fire extinguishing agents.

3. The submersible electrochemical energy storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The container is equipped with a pre-installed communication cable / bus interface or wireless communication module. Each spherical battery cell or small-capacity spherical battery pack is connected to the pre-installed communication cable / bus interface or wireless communication module through a standardized interface on its shell, enabling real-time monitoring and transmission of the battery cell's voltage, current, and temperature.

4. The submersible electrochemical energy storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes the fire protection system, of which: The fire protection system adopts an immersion fire extinguishing scheme. Through an integrated multi-hole pipe network system, the fire protection system uses main pipelines, branch pipelines, and distributed nozzles / micro-holes to evenly and quickly spray the extinguishing agent onto the surface of spherical battery units or small-capacity spherical battery packs, achieving efficient fire extinguishing and cooling, and suppressing heat spread.

5. The submersible electrochemical energy storage container according to claim 4, characterized in that, Distributed nozzles / micro-holes are spread throughout the branch pipes, evenly distributed in the gaps between spherical battery cells or small-capacity spherical battery packs.

6. The submersible electrochemical energy storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The modular frame inside the container is equipped with a variety of sensors, including temperature sensors, smoke / gas sensors, pressure sensors, and humidity sensors. The sensor data is transmitted to the container-level BMS or safety monitoring system through a pre-set communication network for monitoring and early warning of the battery microenvironment.

Images