Energy storage container system

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of energy storage container technology, and in particular to an energy storage container system. By installing an exhaust valve between each battery pack and the exhaust main pipe, when a battery pack experiences thermal runaway, the first control module controls the first exhaust fan of the first exhaust unit to exhaust the gas according to the displacement signal of the displacement sensor. The combustible gas generated by the thermal runaway of the battery pack is discharged from the energy storage box through the exhaust main pipe extending outside the energy storage box, preventing the combustible gas from causing crosstalk inside the container and affecting the operation and safety of other battery packs. At the same time, the second valve port of the exhaust valve is a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack to the exhaust main pipe, which can prevent combustible gas from entering other battery packs and reduce the risk of diffusion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of energy storage container technology, and in particular to an energy storage container system. Background Technology

[0002] To address the flammable gases generated by battery thermal runaway, the fire suppression systems in energy storage containers typically need to be capable of detecting and handling these gases. Current technologies often involve releasing flammable gases into the container space after thermal runaway of a battery / pack, using flammable gas sensors and ventilation systems located within the container (i.e., at the compartment level) for detection and handling. However, existing systems can generate crosstalk within the container after the battery pack releases gas, affecting the operation of other battery packs and creating a risk of diffusion. Furthermore, the direct entry of flammable gases into the space where the battery packs are stored increases the risk of high-voltage sparking due to wiring connections, potentially leading to deflagration. Utility Model Content

[0003] This invention provides an energy storage container system to solve the technical problem of crosstalk generated inside the container after the battery pack exhausts gas, thereby improving the safety of the energy storage container system.

[0004] This utility model provides an energy storage container, the energy storage container comprising: Energy storage box; Multiple energy storage clusters are arranged inside the energy storage box, and each energy storage cluster includes multiple battery packs; The first exhaust unit is located inside the energy storage box and includes an exhaust pipe and a first exhaust fan disposed on the exhaust pipe. The first end of the exhaust pipe is open and extends to the outside of the energy storage box. Multiple exhaust valves are provided, with one exhaust valve corresponding to each battery pack. Each exhaust valve is connected between the battery pack and the second end of the exhaust main pipe. Each exhaust valve includes a valve body with a first valve port, a second valve port, and a third valve port. The first valve port is connected to the corresponding battery pack. The second valve port is connected to the second end of the exhaust main pipe through an exhaust pipe. The second valve port is provided with a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack to the exhaust main pipe. The third valve port is a two-way breathable membrane port. The control unit includes at least a first control module. A displacement sensor is disposed in the valve body. The displacement sensor is configured to detect the displacement of the valve disc in the one-way exhaust structure. The first control module is adapted to control the first exhaust unit to perform exhaust based on the displacement signal of the displacement sensor.

[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first exhaust unit further includes an exhaust master valve disposed on the exhaust main pipe, and the exhaust master valve is located downstream of the first exhaust fan along the exhaust direction of the exhaust main pipe.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipeline includes multiple exhaust branch pipes, which are connected in parallel to the main exhaust pipe. The multiple second valve ports of the multiple exhaust valves corresponding to the multiple battery packs in each energy storage cluster are connected to the same exhaust branch pipe.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the energy storage container system further includes a second exhaust unit, the second exhaust unit including an air inlet and an air outlet disposed on the energy storage box and connecting the interior of the energy storage box with the outside, and the air outlet is provided with a second exhaust fan.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit further includes a second control module, which is adapted to control the second exhaust unit to perform exhaust according to the displacement signal of the displacement sensor.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit further includes a second control module, and a smoke detector is provided inside the energy storage box. The second control module is adapted to control the second exhaust unit to perform exhaust according to the smoke signal from the smoke detector.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air inlet and the air outlet are located on opposite sides of the energy storage box, the first end of the exhaust pipe is located on the opposite side of the energy storage box from the air inlet, and the first end of the exhaust pipe is located on the same side or opposite side of the energy storage box from the air outlet.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the air inlet and the first end of the exhaust pipe are offset in the height direction of the energy storage box, and the first end of the exhaust pipe is positioned higher than the air inlet.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a sealing member is movably provided in the valve body along the direction close to the third valve port. The sealing member is adapted to close the third valve port and is configured to close the third valve port in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery pack.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the energy storage container system further includes an exhaust gas treatment unit connected to the first end of the exhaust pipe, the exhaust gas treatment unit including an exhaust gas collection device and / or an exhaust gas absorption device.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: The energy storage container system proposed in this utility model, by setting an exhaust valve between each battery pack and the exhaust pipe, allows the first control module to control the first exhaust fan of the first exhaust unit to exhaust gas when the battery pack experiences thermal runaway, based on the displacement signal from the displacement sensor. This exhausts the combustible gas generated by the thermal runaway of the battery pack through the exhaust pipe extending outside the energy storage container, preventing crosstalk of combustible gas within the container and affecting the operation and safety of other battery packs. At the same time, the second valve port of the exhaust valve is a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack to the exhaust pipe, which can prevent combustible gas from entering other battery packs, reduce the risk of diffusion, and improve the safety of the energy storage container system. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0016] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 A simplified schematic diagram of an energy storage container system provided in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the exhaust valve provided in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 1-Energy storage box; 2-Energy storage cluster; 21-Battery pack; 3-First exhaust unit; 31-Exhaust main pipe; 32-First exhaust fan; 33-Main exhaust valve; 34-Exhaust branch pipe; 35-Exhaust sub-pipe; 4-Exhaust valve; 41-Valve body; 411-First valve port; 412-Second valve port; 413-Third valve port; 5-Displacement sensor; 6-Control unit; 7-Second exhaust unit; 71-Air inlet; 72-Second exhaust fan; 8-Exhaust gas treatment unit. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. This utility model can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0019] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. The drawings only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components. In actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0020] In the following description, numerous details are explored to provide a more thorough explanation of embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other embodiments, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than in detail to avoid obscuring embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 An energy storage container system provided in one embodiment of this utility model, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the energy storage container system includes: an energy storage box 1; multiple energy storage clusters 2 arranged inside the energy storage box 1, each energy storage cluster 2 including multiple battery packs 21; a first exhaust unit 3 located inside the energy storage box 1, including an exhaust pipe 31 and a first exhaust fan 32 disposed on the exhaust pipe 31, the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 being open and extending to the outside of the energy storage box 1; and multiple exhaust valves 4, each battery pack 21 corresponding to one exhaust valve 4, each exhaust valve 4 being connected between the battery pack 21 and the second end of the exhaust pipe 31, the exhaust valve 4 including a valve body 41, the valve body 41 having a first valve port 411 and a second valve port. 412 and third valve port 413, first valve port 411 is connected to the corresponding battery pack 21, second valve port 412 is connected to the second end of the exhaust main pipe 31 through the exhaust pipe, the second valve port 412 is provided with a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack 21 to the exhaust main pipe 31, and the third valve port 413 is a two-way breathable membrane port; control unit 6, including at least a first control module, valve body 41 is provided with a displacement sensor 5, the displacement sensor 5 is configured to detect the displacement of the valve disc in the one-way exhaust structure, and the first control module is adapted to control the first exhaust unit 3 to perform exhaust according to the displacement signal of the displacement sensor 5.

[0022] Specifically, the energy storage box 1 has a receiving cavity, in which multiple energy storage clusters 2 are housed. Each energy storage cluster 2 includes multiple battery packs 21 arranged vertically or horizontally. It should be noted that the arrangement direction and arrangement method of the battery packs 21 do not affect the implementation of this embodiment.

[0023] The first exhaust unit 3 is a battery pack-level or battery cluster-level exhaust unit, including an exhaust main pipe 31 and a first exhaust fan 32 disposed within the exhaust main pipe 31. Neither end of the exhaust main pipe 31 is connected to the receiving cavity, and the first end of the exhaust main pipe 31 extends outside the receiving cavity. The first exhaust fan 32, through the negative pressure generated within the exhaust main pipe 31 during its operation, can draw combustible gas from the exhaust main pipe 31 or the exhaust pipe connected to the exhaust main pipe 31 outwards and discharge it into the receiving cavity. Furthermore, the first exhaust fan 32 can be positioned near the first end of the exhaust main pipe 31.

[0024] The exhaust valve 4 is a three-way valve, with one exhaust valve 4 corresponding to each battery pack 21. The exhaust valve 4 includes a valve body 41, which has a first valve port 411, a second valve port 412, and a third valve port 413. The first valve port 411 is connected to the corresponding battery pack 21 and is located at the outlet of the battery pack 21. When the battery pack 21 experiences thermal runaway, flammable gases generated inside the battery pack 21 can enter the first valve port 411 through its outlet. The second valve port 412 is connected to the exhaust pipe, which is connected to the main exhaust pipe 31. The second valve port 412 has a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack 21 to the main exhaust pipe 31. The one-way exhaust structure includes, but is not limited to, a one-way valve. The third valve port 413 is a bidirectional permeable membrane port, which can effectively block water, dust, and other impurities while allowing air to pass through, balancing the internal and external pressures of the battery pack 21.

[0025] The control unit 6 can be an industrial PLC controller. The control unit 6 includes at least a first control module. A displacement sensor 5 is installed inside the valve body 41, and the displacement sensor 5 is communicatively connected to the first control module. The displacement sensor 5 is used to detect the displacement of the valve disc in the one-way exhaust structure. The first control module can control the first exhaust unit 3 to perform exhaust based on the displacement signal from the displacement sensor 5.

[0026] In operation, when a battery pack 21 experiences thermal runaway, the flammable gas generated within the battery pack 21 enters the first valve port 411 through its outlet. Simultaneously, the flammable gas pushes the valve disc in the one-way exhaust structure to shift. The displacement sensor 5 captures the displacement signal of the valve disc, and the first control module controls the first exhaust fan 32 of the first exhaust unit 3 to operate based on the displacement signal from the displacement sensor 5. The first exhaust fan 32 draws the flammable gas toward the first end of the exhaust main pipe 31 and discharges it from the receiving cavity. The first exhaust fan 32 is essentially able to extract all the flammable gas discharged from the battery pack 21 to the outside of the energy storage tank 1.

[0027] In this embodiment, by setting an exhaust valve 4 between each battery pack 21 and the exhaust pipe 31, when the battery pack 21 experiences thermal runaway, the first control module controls the first exhaust fan 32 of the first exhaust unit 3 to perform exhaust according to the displacement signal of the displacement sensor 5, so as to discharge the combustible gas generated by the thermal runaway of the battery pack 21 from the energy storage box 1, preventing the combustible gas from generating crosstalk in the container and affecting the operation and safety of other battery packs 21; at the same time, the second valve port 412 of the exhaust valve 4 is a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack 21 to the exhaust pipe 31, which can prevent combustible gas from entering other battery packs 21 and reduce the risk of diffusion.

[0028] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first exhaust unit 3 also includes an exhaust master valve 33 disposed on the exhaust pipe 31. Along the exhaust direction of the exhaust pipe 31, the exhaust master valve 33 is located downstream of the first exhaust fan 32.

[0029] The main exhaust valve 33 isolates the environment inside and outside the energy storage tank 1, closing when flammable gas exhaust is not required and opening when flammable gas exhaust is required. Furthermore, when exhaust is needed, the first control module can also control the main exhaust valve 33 to open based on the displacement signal from the displacement sensor 5, allowing the exhaust main pipe 31 to conduct exhaust. The main exhaust valve 33 is installed on the exhaust main pipe 31 and located downstream of the first exhaust fan 32. The main exhaust valve 33 can prevent water, dust, and other impurities from the external environment from corroding the first exhaust fan 32, extending its service life.

[0030] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, the exhaust pipeline includes multiple exhaust branch pipes 34, which are connected in parallel to the main exhaust pipe 31. The multiple second valve ports 412 of the multiple exhaust valves 4 corresponding to the multiple battery packs 21 in each energy storage cluster 2 are connected to the same exhaust branch pipe 34.

[0031] Each energy storage cluster 2 corresponds to an exhaust branch pipe 34, and all exhaust branch pipes 34 are connected in parallel to the exhaust main pipe 31. Each battery pack 21 of the same energy storage cluster 2 is connected to the same exhaust branch pipe 34, and the exhaust end of each battery pack 21 is connected to the exhaust branch pipe 34 through the second valve port 412 of its corresponding exhaust valve 4.

[0032] Furthermore, the exhaust valve 4 is installed on the exhaust manifold 35. The first valve port 411 of the exhaust valve 4 is connected to the exhaust end of the corresponding battery pack 21 through the exhaust manifold 35, and the second valve port 412 is connected to the exhaust branch pipe 34 through the exhaust manifold 35.

[0033] By setting up exhaust branch pipe 34 and exhaust shunt pipe 35, the combustible gas generated after thermal runaway of battery pack 21 can be dispersed in exhaust branch pipe 34 and exhaust shunt pipe 35, thereby avoiding the complete concentration of combustible gas in exhaust main pipe 31 and preventing dangerous situations such as deflagration caused by excessively high concentration of combustible gas in exhaust main pipe 31.

[0034] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, the energy storage container system also includes a second exhaust unit 7. The second exhaust unit 7 includes an air inlet 71 and an exhaust outlet installed on the energy storage box 1 and connecting the inside of the energy storage box 1 with the outside. The exhaust outlet is equipped with a second exhaust fan 72.

[0035] The second exhaust unit 7 is the cabin-level exhaust unit of the energy storage box 1. The second exhaust unit 7 includes an air inlet 71 and an exhaust outlet, both of which are located on the outer wall of the energy storage box 1 and can penetrate the outer wall to connect the storage chamber of the energy storage box 1 to the external environment. A second exhaust fan 72 is installed inside the exhaust outlet. The air inlet 71 and the second exhaust fan 72 are normally closed when not in operation, preventing external water or impurities from entering the storage chamber. In the event of thermal runaway of the battery pack 21, a small amount of flammable gas may enter the storage chamber of the energy storage box 1. To prevent this flammable gas from interfering with other battery packs 21 within the storage chamber, the second exhaust unit 7 (air inlet 71 and second exhaust fan 72) is activated to exhaust the flammable gas from the storage chamber.

[0036] In some embodiments, the control unit 6 further includes a second control module adapted to control the second exhaust unit 7 to perform exhaust based on the displacement signal from the displacement sensor 5.

[0037] The second control module of the control unit 6 can control the second exhaust unit 7 to perform exhaust according to the displacement signal of the displacement sensor 5. That is, when the displacement sensor 5 collects the displacement signal of the valve disc, it can enable the first exhaust unit 3 and the second exhaust unit 7 to start exhausting at the same time, improve exhaust efficiency, further prevent flammable gas from entering the containment cavity and reduce the residence time in the containment cavity.

[0038] In some embodiments, the control unit 6 further includes a second control module, wherein a smoke detector is provided in the energy storage box 1, and the second control module is adapted to control the second exhaust unit 7 to perform exhaust according to the smoke signal from the smoke detector.

[0039] The second control module of the control unit 6 can control the second exhaust unit 7 to perform exhaust based on the smoke signal from the smoke detector located in the containment cavity. The second exhaust unit 7 can also be started only after the smoke detector detects the presence of smoke in the containment cavity, thus avoiding idling when there is no combustible gas in the containment cavity and reducing energy consumption.

[0040] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, the air inlet 71 and the air outlet are located on opposite sides of the energy storage box 1. The first end of the exhaust pipe 31 is located on the opposite side of the air inlet 71 and the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 is located on the same side or opposite side of the energy storage box 1.

[0041] That is, the air inlet 71 and the air outlet are located on opposite sides of the energy storage box 1, and the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 and the air inlet 71 are also located on opposite sides of the energy storage box 1. The air inlet 71 and the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 and the air outlet are staggered to avoid the situation where the combustible gas is discharged from the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 and the air outlet and then re-enters the inner cavity of the energy storage box 1 through the air inlet 71 due to the close proximity.

[0042] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first ends of the air inlet 71 and the exhaust pipe 31 are offset in the height direction of the energy storage box 1, and the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 is higher than the position of the air inlet 71.

[0043] The air inlet 71 and the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 are staggered to prevent flammable gas from being discharged from the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 and then re-entering the inner cavity of the energy storage box 1 through the air inlet 71 due to excessive proximity. Since flammable gas is a high-temperature gas that floats upward, the position of the first end of the exhaust pipe 31 is higher than the position of the air inlet 71, which further prevents flammable gas discharged from the exhaust pipe 31 from being re-drawn into the receiving cavity through the air inlet 71.

[0044] In some embodiments, a plugging member is movably disposed within the valve body 41 in the direction close to the third valve port 413. The plugging member is adapted to close the third valve port 413 and is configured to close the third valve port 413 in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery pack 21.

[0045] The sealing element is located inside the valve body 41 and can move in the direction close to the third valve port 413. When flammable gas enters the exhaust valve 4, it can push the sealing element close to the third valve port 413 and seal and close the third valve port 413.

[0046] After the flammable gas discharged from the battery pack 21 enters the exhaust valve 4, a small portion of the flammable gas may enter the containment cavity of the energy storage box 1 from the third valve port 413. By sealing the third valve port 413 with a sealing component, the flammable gas can be further prevented from entering the containment cavity from the third valve port 413.

[0047] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, the energy storage container system also includes an exhaust gas treatment unit 8 connected to the first end of the exhaust pipe 31. The exhaust gas treatment unit 8 includes an exhaust gas collection device and / or an exhaust gas absorption device.

[0048] An exhaust gas treatment unit 8 is externally connected to the first end of the exhaust manifold 31. The form of the exhaust gas treatment unit 8 includes, but is not limited to, direct collection-type gas collection, or consumable treatment methods such as catalysis or combustion. Specifically, the exhaust gas treatment unit 8 includes an exhaust gas collection device, in which case the exhaust gas treatment unit 8 only collects combustible gases; or, the exhaust gas treatment unit 8 includes an exhaust gas absorption device, which can treat combustible gases through consumable methods such as catalysis or combustion; or, the exhaust gas treatment unit 8 includes a connected exhaust gas collection device and an exhaust gas absorption device, where the exhaust gas collection device collects the combustible gases, and then the exhaust gas absorption device treats the combustible gases.

[0049] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this utility model should still be covered by the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. An energy storage container system, characterized in that, include: Energy storage box; Multiple energy storage clusters are arranged inside the energy storage box, and each energy storage cluster includes multiple battery packs; The first exhaust unit is located inside the energy storage box and includes an exhaust pipe and a first exhaust fan disposed on the exhaust pipe. The first end of the exhaust pipe is open and extends to the outside of the energy storage box. Multiple exhaust valves are provided, with one exhaust valve corresponding to each battery pack. Each exhaust valve is connected between the battery pack and the second end of the exhaust main pipe. Each exhaust valve includes a valve body with a first valve port, a second valve port, and a third valve port. The first valve port is connected to the corresponding battery pack. The second valve port is connected to the second end of the exhaust main pipe through an exhaust pipe. The second valve port is provided with a one-way exhaust structure along the direction from the battery pack to the exhaust main pipe. The third valve port is a two-way breathable membrane port. The control unit includes at least a first control module. A displacement sensor is disposed in the valve body. The displacement sensor is configured to detect the displacement of the valve disc in the one-way exhaust structure. The first control module is adapted to control the first exhaust unit to perform exhaust based on the displacement signal of the displacement sensor.

2. The energy storage container system of claim 1, wherein, The first exhaust unit further includes an exhaust master valve disposed on the exhaust main pipe, and the exhaust master valve is located downstream of the first exhaust fan along the exhaust direction of the exhaust main pipe.

3. The energy storage container system of claim 1, wherein, The exhaust pipeline includes multiple exhaust branch pipes, which are connected in parallel to the main exhaust pipe. The multiple second valve ports of the multiple exhaust valves corresponding to the multiple battery packs in each energy storage cluster are connected to the same exhaust branch pipe.

4. The energy storage container system of claim 1, wherein, The energy storage container system also includes a second exhaust unit, which includes an air inlet and an air outlet installed on the energy storage container and connecting the inside of the energy storage container with the outside. The air outlet is equipped with a second exhaust fan.

5. The energy storage container system of claim 4, wherein, The control unit further includes a second control module, which is adapted to control the second exhaust unit to perform exhaust based on the displacement signal from the displacement sensor.

6. The energy storage container system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control unit further includes a second control module. A smoke detector is installed inside the energy storage box. The second control module is adapted to control the second exhaust unit to perform exhaust based on the smoke signal from the smoke detector.

7. The energy storage container system of claim 4, wherein, The air inlet and the air outlet are located on opposite sides of the energy storage box. The first end of the exhaust pipe is located on the opposite side of the energy storage box from the air inlet. The first end of the exhaust pipe is located on the same side or opposite side of the energy storage box from the air outlet.

8. The energy storage container system of claim 4, wherein, The air inlet and the first end of the exhaust pipe are offset in the height direction of the energy storage box, and the first end of the exhaust pipe is positioned higher than the air inlet.

9. The energy storage container system of claim 1, wherein, A sealing element is movably disposed within the valve body along the direction close to the third valve port. The sealing element is adapted to close the third valve port and is configured to close the third valve port in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery pack.

10. The energy storage container system of claim 1, wherein, The energy storage container system also includes an exhaust gas treatment unit connected to the first end of the exhaust pipe, the exhaust gas treatment unit including an exhaust gas collection device and / or an exhaust gas absorption device.

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